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Swiss Darts Trophy 2024 | Day One Preview and Order of Play

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Swiss Darts Trophy 2024 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play

Richard Veenstra puts out Peter Wright at the Swiss Darts Trophy as Van Barneveld crushes Cullen

Jamie Shaw in European Tour 27 Sep 2024

Veenstra sees off Snakebite (Photo by Paul Targyik/PDC Europe)

Richard Veenstra fended off a late Peter Wright fightback to clinch a 6-4 victory in Round One of the inaugural Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel on Friday.

The first PDC European Tour event in Switzerland began with a bumper day of first round action at the St. Jakobshalle, and Veenstra pulled off a dramatic win over the reigning European Champion.

The Dutchman survived a late scare in squeezing past two-time World Champion Wright – who was left to rue three missed darts to force a last-leg shoot-out, having hit back from 5-0 down with four legs on the spin.

Wright was one of several high-profile casualties on Friday evening, with Dimitri Van den Bergh and Jonny Clayton also crashing out at the first hurdle.

Raymond van Barneveld produced the performance of the opening day as he averaged 102.5 in a 6-2 rout of Joe Cullen, reeling off four consecutive legs in the process.

“Last week I averaged 113 against Wessel Nijman on the ProTour, so I knew the game was there,” reflected Van Barneveld, who sealed victory with a superb ten-darter.

“I was lucky that Joe missed some crucial doubles in the sixth leg, but I am really happy with the win, because it’s tight on the rankings for the European Championship, and I want to be there!”

World number two Michael Smith rounded off Friday’s action with a dramatic 6-5 victory against Ian White, overturning 3-0 and 4-2 deficits to begin his bid for a first European Tour title of 2024.

White landed finishes of 130, 103 and 107 on his first big stage appearance since April, before Smith overcame his woes on the doubles to secure a battling victory.

Van den Bergh was beaten 6-3 by ten-time TV title winner James Wade – who recovered from 2-0 down to condemn the Belgian to another early exit on the European Tour.

Cameron Menzies joined Wade in Round Two after defeating Clayton by the same scoreline, defying a brace of ton-plus finishes from the Welshman.

There was double delight for Bruno Stöckli and Roger Hertig at the St. Jakobshalle, as the Swiss duo marked their European Tour debuts with shock victories over Krzysztof Ratajski and Ryan Meikle.

Swiss World Cup star Stöckli stunned an out-of-sorts Ratajski to set up a showdown with Luke Littler on Saturday night, while Hertig edged out Ryan Meikle in a gruelling last-leg battle.

However, Marcel Walpen and Alex Fehlmann were unable to complete a clean sweep for the Host Nation Qualifiers as they succumbed to Nathan Aspinall and Madars Razma respectively.

Aspinall converted six of his eight attempts at doubles – including a match-winning 127 checkout – to advance to Saturday’s Second Round, where top seed Dave Chisnall awaits.

Razma, meanwhile, fended off a mid-game fightback from Fehlmann to run out a 6-3 winner, following up a sensational 167 checkout with a 112 to wrap up proceedings.

Wessel Nijman breezed through to Round Two with a whitewash win over an injury-hit Luke Woodhouse, leaving his opponent’s hopes of World Grand Prix qualification hanging in the balance.

Woodhouse occupies the final provisional qualification place ahead of Andrew Gilding, who kicked off his challenge with a routine whitewash of Hungarian qualifier Nandor Pres.

Dirk van Duijvenbode’s hopes of Grand Prix qualification were ended by Sweden’s Anton Ostlund – who delivered a doubling masterclass and landed four maximums to defeat the Dutchman 6-2.

Jermaine Wattimena preserved his slender World Grand Prix hopes with a battling 6-4 win against Ritchie Edhouse, while Callan Rydz ran out a convincing 6-1 winner against Brendan Dolan.

Meanwhile, a clinical Karel Sedlacek pinned six of his nine attempts at doubles to sink Jim Williams, while Mike De Decker – aided by five 180s – reeled off six straight legs to sweep aside Graham Hall 6-2.

Swiss Darts Trophy 2024 Day One Results

Friday September 27

First Round

Afternoon Session
Karel Sedlacek 6-4 Jim Williams
Luke Woodhouse 0-6 Wessel Nijman
Krzysztof Ratajski 3-6 Bruno Stöckli
Mike De Decker 6-2 Graham Hall
Madars Razma 6-3 Alex Fehlmann
Andrew Gilding 6-0 Nandor Pres
Roger Hertig 6-5 Ryan Meikle
Callan Rydz 6-1 Brendan Dolan

Evening Session
Ritchie Edhouse 4-6 Jermaine Wattimena
Anton Ostlund 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-6 James Wade
Joe Cullen 2-6 Raymond van Barneveld
Cameron Menzies 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright 4-6 Richard Veenstra
Marcel Walpen 3-6 Nathan Aspinall
Ian White 5-6 Michael Smith

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Richard Veenstra puts out Peter Wright at the Swiss Darts Trophy as Van Barneveld crushes Cullen

Swiss Darts Trophy 2024 Day One Results

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