De Decker dispatches Humphries at the Belgian Darts Open as Krcmar knocks out Van Gerwen
Mike De Decker thrilled his home crowd at the Belgian Darts Open by defeating Luke Humphries in Round Two, while Boris Krcmar dumped out Michael van Gerwen.
De Decker stunned Humphries in the World Grand Prix final last October, and the 29-year-old enjoyed another memorable win over the world number one at the Oktoberhallen in Wieze.
De Decker will be the sole Belgian representative on the final day of the year’s opening European Tour event, after pulling off a 6-4 win over Humphries.
The pair shared the opening six legs, with De Decker missing two darts to break in the seventh before regaining his composure to reel off the next three – including a key 122 finish – to progress to the Last 16.
“To beat the number one of the world in my home country is amazing,” said De Decker, who averaged 100.5.
“I’m just glad to get through but today was a big game and I’m really glad that I played well and I won.
“The fans are really supportive for all the Belgian players, so to reach the Sunday is an amazing feeling.”
De Decker’s Third Round opponent on Sunday afternoon will be Martin Schindler – who knocked out Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 in the Last 32.
Schindler won a brace of European Tour event titles in 2024, and finished six doubles from 13 attempts to punish a below-par display from Van den Bergh.
Croatia’s Krcmar enjoyed a memorable 6-4 win over an out of sorts Van Gerwen to reach the final day of a European Tour event for just the third time.
Krcmar now meets last week’s UK Open finalist James Wade, who held off Raymond van Barneveld’s fightback from 3-0 down before claiming a 6-4 win over the Dutch icon.
Reigning champion Luke Littler kicked off his title defence with a routine 6-3 win over Ryan Searle to set up a Last 16 clash with Luke Woodhouse.
European Championship semi-finalist Woodhouse landed checkouts of 170, 124 and 110 in a sensational 6-2 win over Gary Anderson to book his place in the Last 16.
“I’m happy to get the first win here, settle in and I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon,” said Littler, who won the UK Open last Sunday and Thursday’s Premier League night in Brighton.
“It’s very good to be back and I’ve got to play better than I did tonight – I’m sure Luke will be up for the task and I’ll be up for it as well.”
Ross Smith and Gerwyn Price rose to the occasion at the Oktoberhallen with stand-out displays as they starred in Saturday’s second round.
Smith posted a tournament record average of 112.6 in a stunning 6-2 win over Rob Cross, missing just one dart at a double in a battle of the former European Champions.
Price, meanwhile, averaged 112.4 and finished six doubles from eight attempts as he retained an unbeaten record against World Youth Champion Gian van Veen with a 6-2 success.
The packed crowd serenaded Price with a rendition of “happy birthday” after the contest, and the Welshman said: “Because I’m 40 now, maybe double tops will be a bit better. I still feel 20 and look 21 so happy days!”
“He’s a fantastic player and I know I need to play those sort of averages to win, so thankfully I pulled it out of the bag.”
Price’s Third Round opponent will be Australian number one Damon Heta – who whitewashed Michael Smith by converting six doubles from 11 attempts.
Ross Smith, meanwhile, will face Matt Campbell in Round Three after the Canadian raced through with a 6-2 win over a below-par Peter Wright, following up Friday’s narrow defeat of Cameron Menzies by sending another Scot packing.
Elsewhere, 2022 champion Dave Chisnall kicked off his campaign with a routine 6-3 win over Ricardo Pietreczko, and he will now take on Ritchie Edhouse, after the European Champion edged out Nathan Aspinall in a deciding leg.
Stephen Bunting enjoyed a welcome return to winning ways in Wieze, reeling off six consecutive legs from 3-0 adrift to dump out Jermaine Wattimena.
Bunting’s reward is a Last 16 clash against Daryl Gurney, who produced a five-leg burst of his own to dispatch Danny Noppert 6-2 – avenging his defeat to the Dutchman at last weekend’s UK Open.
Winmau World Masters runner-up Jonny Clayton defied a hat-trick of 12-darters from Wessel Nijman to come through a last-leg decider, despite Nijman averaging 99 in defeat.
Clayton’s third round opponent will be Dirk van Duijvenbode, who also prevailed in a deciding leg after Chris Dobey squandered a staggering eight match darts in a dramatic conclusion to Saturday’s action.
Belgian Darts Open 2025 Day Two Results
Saturday March 8
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Danny Noppert 2-6 Daryl Gurney
Gary Anderson 2-6 Luke Woodhouse
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Ricardo Pietreczko
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Wessel Nijman
Rob Cross 2-6 Ross Smith
Damon Heta 6-0 Michael Smith
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Nathan Aspinall 5-6 Ritchie Edhouse
Evening Session
James Wade 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Peter Wright 2-6 Matt Campbell
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Gian van Veen
Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-6 Martin Schindler
Luke Humphries 4-6 Mike De Decker
Luke Littler 6-3 Ryan Searle
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Boris Krcmar
Chris Dobey 5-6 Dirk van Duijvenbode
