Josh Rock and Danny Jansen enjoy dream Euro Tour debuts at the Austrian Darts Open
Josh Rock and Danny Jansen enjoyed impressive European Tour debuts with ton-plus averages on their way to victory on Day One of the 2022 Austrian Darts Open in Graz.
Rock, twice a quarter-finalist on the ProTour in his debut season as a PDC Tour Card holder, continued his superb spell of form by averaging 101 in a 6-3 win over former Euro Tour event winner Devon Petersen.
The Northern Irish youngster will now face reigning European Champion Rob Cross in Saturday’s Second Round.
Jansen, who picked up a maiden Players Championship title at the beginning of April, also got his Euro Tour campaign off to a flying start by thrashing Poland’s Radek Szaganski 6-1 with a 101 average and a high checkout of 121.
The 19-year-old will now meet recent German Grand Prix winner Luke Humphries in the Last 32.
Meanwhile, Madars Razma stole the show on the opening day of the season’s fourth European Tour event with a personal best 108.65 average in a 6-0 whitewash of Host Nation qualifier Michael Rasztovits, landing six doubles from eight attempts.
Zoran Lerchbacher won a thriller against French debutant Thibault Tricole by producing a sensational 167 checkout in the deciding leg of their tie.
Rowby-John Rodriguez overcame Darius Labanauskas 6-3 to move through to face Dirk van Duijvenbode on Saturday.
Austrian debutant Patrik Gosnak was the day’s other home winner as he pulled off a 6-4 scalp of three-time Euro Tour event winner Ian White from 4-3 down.
There was disappointment, though, for four other Austrians on the day – including Mensur Suljovic, who missed two match darts before losing out 6-5 to Jeffrey de Zwaan.
Debutant Rainer Sturm also lost out in a deciding leg, having led 5-4 against Brett Claydon before the English qualifier edged through to face Thursday’s Premier League Night 12 winner James Wade.
Dietmar Burger also suffered a crushing 6-0 loss, going down to a ruthless Callan Rydz as the World Championship quarter-finalist set up a meeting with world number one Peter Wright.
UK Open champion Danny Noppert took out 104 in the deciding leg of his all-Dutch clash with Jermaine Wattimena to confirm a clash with Dimitri Van den Bergh.
Stephen Bunting survived four missed match darts from Karel Sedlacek before edging through with a 6-5 victory after the Czech qualifier came from 3-0 down to force a decider.
Ricky Evans averaged 100 in a 6-4 defeat of Johan Engstrom from 3-0 down to set up a show-down with Damon Heta.
Cameron Menzies will take on Michael van Gerwen on Saturday evening following his 6-4 success over Steve Beaton, while Jim Williams’ 6-1 rout of a struggling Berry van Peer set up a clash with Masters champion Joe Cullen.
In-form Dutch qualifier Wesley Plaisier overcame Matt Campbell 6-3, despite the Canadian missing double 12 to complete a nine-darter, and now plays Nathan Aspinall.
Gabriel Clemens closed out a commanding 6-1 win over Spanish newcomer Tony Martinez and will face Brendan Dolan in Round Two.
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Austrian Darts Open 2022 – Day One Results
Friday April 29
First Round
Afternoon Session
Radek Szaganski 1-6 Danny Jansen
Wesley Plaisier 6-3 Matt Campbell
Jim Williams 6-1 Berry van Peer
Josh Rock 6-3 Devon Petersen
Ricky Evans 6-4 Johan Engstrom
Madars Razma 6-0 Michael Rasztovits
Steve Beaton 4-6 Cameron Menzies
Ian White 4-6 Patrik Gosnak
Evening Session
Dietmar Burger 0-6 Callan Rydz
Thibault Tricole 5-6 Zoran Lerchbacher
Tony Martinez 1-6 Gabriel Clemens
Danny Noppert 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Karel Sedlacek
Brett Claydon 6-5 Rainer Sturm
Darius Labanauskas 3-6 Rowby-John Rodriguez
