Hungarian Darts Trophy 2022 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play
The seeded players commence their Hungarian Darts Trophy campaigns in Budapest on Saturday as the Second Round action takes centre stage.
With reigning champion Gerwyn Price having withdrawn from the event, a new name is guaranteed to be etched onto the trophy come Sunday evening.
With only a further three European Tour events remaining after this weekend, the race for European Championship qualification is also set to intensify.
Among Saturday’s stand-out ties is a grudge clash between World Matchplay champion Michael van Gerwen and World Cup winner Simon Whitlock.
The duo have been in World Series action in Australia and New Zealand over the past three weeks, with Whitlock registering his fifth consecutive win over MVG during the New South Wales Darts Masters.
The 53-year-old will look to extend that incredible run as he eyes a first European Tour title in a decade, while Van Gerwen aims to stop the rot and remain in contention for a fourth Euro Tour title of the season.
Luke Humphries, who has dominated the Euro Tour this year with a fabulous four titles including three of the last four events, starts his latest quest for silverware with a clash against Croatia’s Boris Krcmar.
Jose de Sousa, the number 12 seed whose sole Euro Tour success to date came in 2020, opens up against five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld – who received a bye into the Second Round following the withdrawal of Rowby-John Rodriguez.
Reigning and two-time European Champion Rob Cross, who has finished runner-up in three Euro Tour events this season, starts his weekend with a tie against former World Matchplay semi-finalist Jeffrey de Zwaan.
World Champion Peter Wright returns to action after missing August’s World Series triple-header due to an operation, and the world number two will take on former BDO world finalist Jim Williams – who survived four match darts from Brett Claydon in Round One.
The afternoon session kicks off with a mouth-watering clash between World Cup winner Damon Heta and emerging sensation Josh Rock.
Heta suffered three consecutive First Round defeats Down Under in the World Series despite a clutch of a strong displays, and will be out to stop the rot by overcoming the 21-year-old newcomer who has racked up four Development Tour titles this season.
UK Open champion and recent World Matchplay semi-finalist Danny Noppert starts out against six-time Development Tour winner Rusty-Jake Rodriguez – who defeated Canada’s Jeff Smith in Round One.
US Masters champion and world finalist Michael Smith faces a tough opener against in-form Daryl Gurney – who averaged 105.3 in a 6-1 rout of Nathan Rafferty on Friday.
Last month’s New South Wales Masters winner Jonny Clayton also faces a formidable test against two-time Euro Tour event winner Dave Chisnall.
Dimitri Van den Bergh, winner of two World Series events this season, takes on former World Cup of Darts finalist William O’Connor, while Players Championship Finals runner-up Ryan Searle meets Czech ace Karel Sedlacek.
Former Gibraltar Trophy winner Krzysztof Ratajski comes up against Suffolk star Ryan Meikle – who knocked out Gabriel Clemens on opening night to bolster his hopes of European Championship qualification.
Masters champion and Premier League runner-up Joe Cullen kicks off his campaign against world number 61 Martin Lukeman – who has already reached a European Tour final this season.
Ninth seed Nathan Aspinall faces a crunch clash with in-form Stephen Bunting – who ruthlessly whitewashed Callan Rydz with a 103.6 average on Friday evening.
The action gets under way from 12pm BST, with Second Round matches to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
WATCH DAY TWO OF THE HUNGARIAN DARTS TROPHY STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)
Hungarian Darts Trophy 2022 Day Two Schedule
All times BST (Local time one hour ahead)
Saturday September 3
Second Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Damon Heta v Josh Rock
Danny Noppert v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Ryan Searle v Karel Sedlacek
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Chris Dobey
Michael Smith v Daryl Gurney
Krzysztof Ratajski v Ryan Meikle
Dimitri Van den Bergh v William O’Connor
Jonny Clayton v Dave Chisnall
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Rob Cross v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Jose de Sousa v Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Humphries v Boris Krcmar
Joe Cullen v Martin Lukeman
Peter Wright v Jim Williams
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Nathan Aspinall v Stephen Bunting
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