Michael van Gerwen began his bid for a fourth European Tour title of 2022 with a comprehensive 6-2 victory over compatriot Jelle Klaasen on the second day of action at the Jack’s Dutch Darts Championship in Zwolle on Saturday.
The world number three raised the roof with an imperious display at the Ijsselhallen, averaging 104.67 and firing in six 180s to continue his remarkable record against Klaasen, despite a sensational 170 checkout from the former Lakeside Champion in the opening exchanges.
Van Gerwen will now play Callan Rydz for a place in the last eight, after the World Championship quarter-finalist raced to a 6-1 win over a below-par Brendan Dolan earlier in the day.
However, Gerwyn Price was one of nine seeded stars to succumb in a dramatic double session, with Mervyn King edging out the top seed in a last-leg shoot-out.
Following the disappointment of missing out on the Cazoo Premier League Play-Offs, world number one Peter Wright returned to winning ways with a 6-3 victory over Jermaine Wattimena, featuring a majestic 125 checkout in leg eight.
The World Champion will face Danny Noppert in a mouth-watering last 16 encounter, after the UK Open champion defied a ton-plus average and five 180s from Martin Schindler to prevail in an absorbing decider.
Dirk van Duijvenbode was the third Dutchman to book his place in Sunday’s third round, battling past Mickey Mansell to set up a showdown against Dave Chisnall, who posted a 105.89 average in a 6-3 success over Jose de Sousa.
Thursday’s Premier League winner in Newcastle, Michael Smith, produced a similarly eye-catching display, averaging 105.79 and landing six 180s to end the hopes of home hero Danny Jansen.
Smith is now up against in-form Damon Heta in round three, after the Australian accounted for Scott Waites in a gruelling affair.
Rob Cross’ quest for a fourth European Tour final of 2022 was curtailed by an inspired Ryan Meikle, who averaged 100 to close out a 6-2 success, in one of the left-hander’s best performances on the big stage.
Meikle will play Boris Krcmar in round three, after the Croatian recovered from 5-3 down to dump out Dimitri Van den Bergh, having survived multiple match darts in the penultimate leg.
Former Dutch Darts Masters winner Simon Whitlock is dreaming of another triumph in the Netherlands, after surviving four match darts en route to victory over Premier League star Joe Cullen.
Whitlock takes on surprise package Daniel Larsson for a quarter-final spot, after the unseeded Swede produced an accomplished display on the outer ring to stun Nathan Aspinall.
Elsewhere, Ryan Searle converted two ton-plus finishes to defeat Ross Smith in a topsy-turvy clash, and he will face Andrew Gilding for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon.
Gilding continued his impressive form in Zwolle, producing a magical 170 finish during his 6-4 success over Krzysztof Ratajski in Saturday’s opener.
In the evening’s finale, Chris Dobey reeled off six consecutive legs to demolish Ritchie Edhouse, and the two-time TV semi-finalist faces the veteran King in an intriguing tussle on Sunday.
The tournament is being broadcast live on PDCTV, exclusively on DAZN in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and through bookmakers’ websites worldwide.
Saturday May 28
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Ryan Searle 6-3 Ross Smith
Damon Heta 6-3 Scott Waites
Boris Krcmar 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Daniel Larsson 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Callan Rydz 6-1 Brendan Dolan
Danny Noppert 6-5 Martin Schindler
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Jose De Sousa
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Ryan Meikle 6-2 Rob Cross
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Joe Cullen
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Mickey Mansell
Peter Wright 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Jelle Klaasen
Mervyn King 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Michael Smith 6-4 Danny Jansen
Chris Dobey 6-1 Ritchie Edhouse
Sunday May 29
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Ryan Meikle v Boris Krcmar
Peter Wright v Danny Noppert
Simon Whitlock v Daniel Larsson
Michael van Gerwen v Callan Rydz
Dave Chisnall v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Ryan Searle v Andrew Gilding
Damon Heta v Michael Smith
Mervyn King v Chris Dobey
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Format
All games up to and including the quarter-finals are the best of 11 legs, with the semi-finals the best of 13 legs and the final the best of 15 legs.
Prize Fund
Winner: £25,000
Runner-up: £10,000
Semi-Finalists: £6,500
Quarter-Finalists: £5,000
Last 16 losers: £3,000
Last 32 losers: £2,000
Last 48 losers: £1,000
Total: £140,000
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