Van Gerwen and Humphries Advance in World Series of Darts

The World Series of Darts Finals saw thrilling first-round action in Amsterdam, with both Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries securing their spots in the second round. Van Gerwen, aiming for a record-extending sixth title, faced Wessel Nijman in a closely contested match that concluded with Van Gerwen emerging victorious in a decisive last leg.

Nijman initially held the lead, going up 2-0, 3-1, and 5-4. However, Van Gerwen showcased his trademark resilience, pulling off a remarkable 132 finish on the bullseye and surviving a match dart against him. He sealed the match with a 174 set-up followed by a double 18, finishing the game with an impressive average of 104.75. “Wessel is a great player, and his cover shooting was phenomenal,” Van Gerwen remarked. “I felt great the whole game. This was one of my best performances in Holland for a long time.”

Humphries also faced a formidable challenge in his match against 2018 champion James Wade. The World No 1 found himself trailing but managed to secure a 6-5 victory after surviving two match darts. Averaging 99, Humphries fired off legs of 14 and 13 darts to come back from a 5-4 deficit. “It was a strange performance,” he admitted. “One minute it was great, the next poor. I’m working my way back into form and I’m pleased to win.”

Stephen Bunting, the top seed, exited the tournament after a 6-4 defeat to Dutch No 2 Danny Noppert. Noppert will now face World Cup champion Josh Rock, who achieved a 6-3 victory over Krzysztof Ratajski, highlighted by a checkout of 121 on the bullseye.

Former champion Rob Cross made a successful return to the Netherlands, defeating New Zealand’s Haupai Puha 6-3, boasting a 60 percent success rate on doubles. Cross previously lifted the Dutch Darts Masters title in Den Bosch earlier in the year.

The second round will feature a matchup between Australia’s No 1 Damon Heta and World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, both of whom won their first-round matches decisively. Heta triumphed over Joe Cullen with a score of 6-1, while De Decker narrowly defeated Gabriel Clemens 6-3, despite Clemens missing a double 12 for a potential nine-darter.

The first round will conclude on Saturday afternoon, October 7, with reigning champion Luke Littler facing Simon Whitlock. Other notable matchups include former winners Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, who will compete against American players Danny Lauby and Jason Brandon, respectively. Additionally, Raymond van Barneveld is set to take on Norway’s Cor Dekker.

As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly await the second round on Saturday evening, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final scheduled for Sunday. Live coverage of the darts action will be available on Sky Sports from October 6-12, coinciding with the BoyleSports World Grand Prix taking place in Leicester.