Peter Wright dumped Michael van Gerwen out of the Belgian Darts Open in the Second Round on Saturday, as home hero Mike De Decker dispatched Michael Smith.
Day Two of the season’s opening European Tour event saw 16 second round matches take place across two sessions in Wieze, with Van Gerwen one of seven seeded casualties.
The Dutchman has been struggling with a shoulder injury over recent weeks, and his woes were compounded by his old adversary Wright, who capitalised on his opponent’s poor finishing to book his place in Sunday’s Last 16.
Wright opened up a 4-2 lead before Van Gerwen replied with successive legs to draw level, but a timely 114 checkout moved the Scotsman to the verge of victory – which he duly sealed in the next leg after MVG missed his tenth and eleventh darts at doubles.
“I nearly threw it away, but I got through,” said Wright.
“Normally you have to produce a ton-plus average to beat Michael, but I know he’s struggling with his shoulder injury.
“Hopefully he gets better soon and starts playing the darts we know he can, and hopefully I do the same!”
World number one Luke Humphries produced the performance of the day, averaging 110.65 in a devastating 6-1 demolition of James Wade.
The reigning World Champion reeled off legs of 10, 16, 13, 14, 12 and 11 darts to continue his blistering form, fresh from his maiden weekly title in the Premier League on Thursday night.
“I love the European Tour. It’s made me the player I am today,” admitted Humphries, runner-up in the UK Open last weekend.
“I didn’t have the best start to the season, but now I’m starting to feel like the world number one again, and I felt really good up there tonight.
“Everyone knows what I’m capable of and what I can produce, and now I believe I’m doing it on a more consistent basis.”
Meanwhile, Luke Littler continued his impressive debut campaign on the European Tour, following up his deciding-leg victory over Jose de Sousa with a 6-3 success against Krzysztof Ratajski.
The teenage prodigy crashed in six 180s on his way to victory, which sets up another clash against fourth seed Damon Heta – who demolished Brendan Dolan 6-1 in Saturday’s afternoon session.
De Decker preserved Belgian hopes in the competition by dispatching an out-of-sorts Michael Smith with a clinical 6-2 victory to set up a showdown against Masters champion Stephen Bunting.
Bunting extended his winning streak in last-leg deciders on the Euro Tour to 12 matches with a dramatic win over sixth seed Josh Rock, converting an 81 finish on the bull to confirm his progress.
Top seed Dave Chisnall also crashed out in his opener, squandering a match dart in the deciding-leg of his tie against Ryan Joyce.
Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson will renew their rivalry for a place in the quarter-finals following wins over Gabriel Clemens and Andreas Harrysson respectively.
Price averaged 101 to see off German number one Clemens, while Anderson won through an enthralling encounter against Swedish qualifier Harrysson, averaging 103 and landing eight 180s in a contest featuring four ton-plus checkouts.
Joe Cullen booked his place in Sunday’s Last 16 in style as he produced a brace of 170 checkouts in his 6-3 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode with a 104 average.
Jonny Clayton also landed a 170 checkout in his battling win over Berry van Peer, averaging 98 and pinning 60 per cent of his attempts at double to return to winning ways on the big stage.
Danny Noppert survived six match darts as he overturned a 5-3 deficit against Chris Dobey, and his reward is a third round meeting with Rob Cross – who hit back from 3-0 down to deny Germany’s Lukas Wenig in a decider.
Ryan Searle and Ricardo Pietreczko also won through last-leg tussles against Richard Veenstra and Luke Woodhouse earlier in the day to set up meetings against Humphries and Joyce respectively.
Meanwhile, Jermaine Wattimena celebrated his 36th birthday by advancing to Finals Day on the European Tour for the first time in five years, following up Friday’s whitewash of Daryl Gurney with a 6-2 thumping of Ross Smith.
Belgian Darts Open 2024 Day Two Results
Saturday March 9
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5 Luke Woodhouse
Ross Smith 2-6 Jermaine Wattimena
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Berry van Peer
Damon Heta 6-1 Brendan Dolan
Ryan Searle 6-5 Richard Veenstra
Danny Noppert 6-5 Chris Dobey
Gary Anderson 6-5 Andreas Harrysson
Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-6 Joe Cullen
Evening Session
Dave Chisnall 5-6 Ryan Joyce
Michael Smith 2-6 Mike De Decker
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Gabriel Clemens
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Peter Wright
Krzysztof Ratajski 3-6 Luke Littler
Luke Humphries 6-1 James Wade
Josh Rock 5-6 Stephen Bunting
Rob Cross 6-5 Lukas Wenig
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