European Darts Matchplay: Van den Bergh impresses, while Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton crash out
- Sean Fisher
- 3 July 2022
The second day of the European Darts Matchplay in Trier saw a number of seeded players crash out, including top seed Gerywn Price and World Grand Prix winner Jonny Clayton.
The second day of European Darts Matchplay action in Trier saw 10 seeded players suffer upsets, including top seed Gerwyn Price, World Grand Prix winner Jonny Clayton, and Premier League runner-up Joe Cullen.
Price's recent struggles continued on Saturday evening as he was bested by Rowby-John Rodriguez.
The Welshman managed to win just two sets against the dominant Austrian, who booked his place in the third round with a 6-2 victory.
Clayton suffered a similar fate, with the world No.8 struggling to cope with Scott Williams, who secured a 6-4 upset to progress. Cullen started brightly in his match against Ian White, but after missing several chances to end the match, the 51-year-old punished him in a deciding leg.
Seeds booted from the tournament as defending Champion Joe Cullen, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and Daryl Gurney all crash out on Day Two in Trier! pic.twitter.com/soofUeEKh8
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 2, 2022
Daryl Gurney, Martin Schindler and Dirk van Duijvenbode were other seeds to be knocked out in Saturday's evening session as they all lost in a deciding leg, with Gabriel Clemens, Madars Razma and Jeffrey de Zwaan capitalising to progress.
In contrast to his fellow seeded players, Dimitri van den Bergh put on a dazzling show once again. Fresh from his successive World Series of Darts victories in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, he's chasing a maiden European Tour title, and finds himself in the third round after a 6-2 win over home favourite Florian Hempel.
The Belgian averaged 110.83 during his victory over the German star, and opened with a 152 checkout before landing eight 180s and a ten-darter to set up a third round clash with World Cup winner Damon Heta on Sunday.
HETA'S DOUBLING DELIGHT!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 2, 2022
Damon Heta proves deadly on the doubles, landing six of eight attempts as he sees off Callan Rydz 6-4!
Up Next 👉 Ryan Searle v Martin Lukeman
Watch 📺 https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8 pic.twitter.com/GoUzVDcXP2
Martin Lukeman, a European Tour finalist earlier this year, overcame Ryan Searle 6-4, while Wesley Plaisier knocked out Jose de Sousa for the loss of just one leg and Luke Woodhouse overcame Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3.
Rob Cross survived four missed match darts from James Wilson before taking out 104 in the deciding leg of their tie, while Stephen Bunting took out 110 to deny Polish youngster Sebastian Bialecki in another 11-leg thriller.
The £140,000 tournament concludes on Sunday, with the afternoon session's third round followed in the decisive evening session by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
2022 Interwetten European Darts Matchplay
Saturday July 2
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Krzysztof Ratajski
Rob Cross 6-5 James Wilson
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Sebastian Bialecki
Damon Heta 6-4 Callan Rydz
Martin Lukeman 6-4 Ryan Searle
Wesley Plaisier 6-1 Jose de Sousa
Lukas Wenig 6-4 Chris Dobey
Evening Session
Luke Humphries 6-4 Cameron Menzies
Scott Williams 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Gabriel Clemens 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-2 Gerwyn Price
Ian White 6-5 Joe Cullen
Madars Razma 6-5 Martin Schindler
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Florian Hempel
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Sunday July 3
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Gabriel Clemens
Nathan Aspinall v Scott Williams
Wesley Plaisier v Madars Razma
Rob Cross v Luke Woodhouse
Martin Lukeman v Stephen Bunting
Damon Heta v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Luke Humphries v Lukas Wenig
Ian White v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
