Van Gerwen and Humphries Advance as Bunting Exits World Series

Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries progressed to the second round of the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, while top seed Stephen Bunting faced an unexpected exit. Van Gerwen won a nail-biting first-round match against Wessel Nijman, overcoming a series of setbacks to secure a spot in the next round, where he will face former champion Rob Cross.

In a thrilling contest, Van Gerwen, who is pursuing a record-extending sixth title, struggled initially as Nijman took leads of 2-0, 3-1, and 5-4. However, Van Gerwen demonstrated his resilience with a remarkable finish, hitting a 132 checkout on the bullseye. He survived a match dart from Nijman before sealing the victory with a 174 set-up followed by a double 18, averaging an impressive 104.75. Reflecting on his performance, Van Gerwen stated, “Wessel is a great player, and his cover shooting was phenomenal. I felt great the whole game. This was one of my best performances in Holland for a long time.”

Humphries, the current World No 1, also faced a tough challenge but managed to advance by defeating 2018 champion James Wade. In a match filled with tension, Humphries averaged 99 and produced legs of 14 and 13 darts to overturn a 5-4 deficit and win. He acknowledged the complexity of his performance, saying, “It was a strange performance. One minute it was great, the next poor. I’m working my way back into form and I’m pleased to win.”

Bunting’s early exit marked a significant upset in the tournament. He was eliminated by Dutch No 2 Danny Noppert, who won their match 6-4. Noppert is now set to face World Cup champion Josh Rock, who advanced after defeating Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 with a notable 121 checkout on the bullseye.

Rob Cross, who previously won the Dutch Darts Masters earlier this year, returned to form by defeating New Zealand’s Haupai Puha 6-3, achieving a 60 percent success rate on doubles. Australian No 1 Damon Heta and World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker also secured their places in the second round. Heta cruised to a 6-1 victory over Joe Cullen, while De Decker overcame Gabriel Clemens with a 6-3 win, despite Clemens narrowly missing a chance for a nine-darter.

In the opening match of the evening, Kevin Doets narrowly defeated Jermaine Wattimena, surviving four match darts to set up a Saturday night clash with Humphries. The first round of the tournament will conclude on Saturday afternoon, with reigning champion Luke Littler facing Simon Whitlock. Other notable matches include former winners Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton competing against American players Danny Lauby and Jason Brandon, while Raymond van Barneveld is set to take on Norway’s Cor Dekker.

The tournament continues with the second round scheduled for Saturday evening, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final on Sunday. Live coverage of the event is available on Sky Sports from October 6 to 12, 2023, as the BoyleSports World Grand Prix is held in Leicester.