Darts results: Luke Humphries begins European Darts Grand Prix campaign with dramatic win

The second day of the £175,000 event saw 16 second round ties take place at the Glaspalast, with top seed Humphries defying a stirring fightback from Dobey to keep his World Cup of Darts dreams alive.

Humphries raced into a seemingly unassailable 5-1 lead before squandering eight match darts, but Dobey was unable to complete a famous comeback, spurning three match darts of his own in a gripping decider.

“I was in so much control, and I’m lucky I’m not walking off this stage absolutely devastated,” admitted Humphries, who must retain the title if he’s to represent England at next month’s World Cup.

“There’s a lot for me to play for this weekend. I’m here to get as much ranking money as I can, and if I can win this title, what comes with it is a bonus.

“There’s a long way to go. There are four games to win, but we all know how good I can be on Finals Day,” added the 28-year-old, who now takes on five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld tomorrow.

Van Barneveld produced a superb showing to advance to the last 16 of a European Tour event for the first time since 2019, courtesy of a whitewash win against UK Open champion Andrew Gilding.

Elsewhere, Gerwyn Price made a winning return to action following his defeat in Thursday’s Premier League final, firing in five maximums en route to a comprehensive 6-2 success against Ricky Evans.

Martin Schindler will await the Welshman in round three, after defying a late rally from his World Cup partner Gabriel Clemens to close out a 6-3 success in their blockbuster all-German showdown.

Nathan Aspinall put Jose de Sousa to the sword with an imperious display of scoring, registering a first nine-dart average of 124 to celebrate a 6-3 victory over the former Grand Slam champion.

World Youth Champion Josh Rock kept his own World Cup of Darts aspirations alive in Sindelfingen, kicking off Saturday’s second round action with a whitewash win over a struggling Keegan Brown.

Rock – who must win this weekend’s title if he’s to represent Northern Ireland at next month’s showpiece – will now meet emerging Dutchman Gian van Veen for a place in the quarter-finals.

Van Veen dumped out his compatriot Danny Noppert to move through to the last 16 of a European Tour event for the first time, producing a magical 170 checkout en route to a landmark 6-4 victory.

Ross Montgomery caused the shock of Saturday’s second round, firing in a 12-dart hold to dump out Austrian Darts Open winner Jonny Clayton in the evening’s penultimate tie.

Last year’s runner-up Rob Cross will play the veteran Scot for a spot in the last eight, after averaging over 97 to dispatch quick-fire Dutchman Martijn Kleermaker 6-2.

Dave Chisnall began his bid for a third European Tour title of 2023 with a 6-2 win over German youngster Pascal Rupprecht, following up a fifth 180 with a brilliant 136 checkout to wrap up victory in style.

Chisnall will lock horns with Krzysztof Ratajski on Sunday afternoon, after Poland’s premier player produced a trio of ton-plus checkouts to dump out Dimitri Van den Bergh, who bowed out with a 103 average.

European Champion Ross Smith produced a sparkling display to seal a whitewash win over Steve Beaton, averaging over a ton and converting six of his eight double attempts to progress to Finals Day.

Smith’s reward is third round clash against Daryl Gurney, who pinned six of his ten darts at double to demolish second seed Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 in the afternoon’s finale.

Fourth seed Damon Heta reeled off three straight legs to ease past Adam Smith-Neale and set up a last 16 tussle against Joe Cullen, who landed a 108 checkout to account for Josh Payne in an 11-leg affair.

Elsewhere, Madars Razma punished a below-par display from Ryan Searle to run out a comprehensive 6-1 winner and maintain his hopes of World Matchplay qualification.

Sunday's final day of action in Sindelfingen will feature the third round in the afternoon session, ahead of the decisive quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the evening.

European Darts Grand Prix: Schedule and results

Friday April May 12
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)

• Gian van Veen 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
• Madars Razma 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse
• Pascal Rupprecht 6-5 Christian Kist
• Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Graham Usher
• Ross Montgomery 6-4 Marko Kantele
• Ricky Evans 6-3 Ian White
• Keegan Brown 6-3 Marcel Walpen
• Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 Alan Souta

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

• Jose de Sousa 6-5 Nico Kurz
• Adam Smith-Neale 6-5 Roman Benecky
• Daryl Gurney 6-3 Dylan Slevin
• Chris Dobey 6-4 Graham Hall
• Steve Beaton 6-5 Ricardo Pietreczko
• Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Liam Maendl-Lawrance
• Josh Payne 6-3 Simon Whitlock
• Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Lee Evans

Saturday April 13
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)

• Josh Rock v Keegan Brown
• Dave Chisnall v Pascal Rupprecht
• Ross Smith v Steve Beaton
• Ryan Searle v Madars Razma
• Rob Cross v Martijn Kleermaker
• Danny Noppert v Gian van Veen
• Damon Heta v Adam Smith-Neale
• Dirk van Duijvenbode v Daryl Gurney

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

• Andrew Gilding v Raymond van Barneveld
• Nathan Aspinall v Jose de Sousa
• Luke Humphries v Chris Dobey
• Gerwyn Price v Ricky Evans
• Joe Cullen v Josh Payne
• Martin Schindler v Gabriel Clemens
• Jonny Clayton v Ross Montgomery
• Dimitri Van den Bergh v Krzysztof Ratajski

Sunday April 14
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)

• Eight matches

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

Quarter-finals

• Four matches

Semi-finals

• Two matches

Final

• Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

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