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European Open: Raymond van Barneveld shocks Luke Humphries as Gerwyn Price crashes out in Leverkusen | Darts News

European Open: Raymond van Barneveld shocks Luke Humphries as Gerwyn Price crashes out in Leverkusen | Darts News
European Open: Raymond van Barneveld shocks Luke Humphries as Gerwyn Price crashes out in Leverkusen | Darts News


Raymond van Barneveld rolled back the years to dump world No 1 Luke Humphries out of the NEO.bet European Open.

The 57-year-old Dutchman took advantage of an off night for the reigning world champion and claimed a 6-4 victory in front of a raucous German crowd.

Van Barneveld produced five 180s and defied a brace of ton-plus finishes from the top seed to progress to the last 16 of a European Tour event for the first time in 2024.

Second round results

Afternoon Session: Gian van Veen 6-4 Andy Baetens, Stephen Bunting 6-4 Kevin Troppmann, Damon Heta 6-4 Dom Taylor, Ryan Searle 6-4 Daryl Gurney, Chris Dobey 6-5 Jeffrey de Graaf, Dave Chisnall 6-5 Luke Woodhouse, Ross Smith 6-2 Callan Rydz, Kevin Doets 6-4 Ricardo Pietreczko

Evening Session: Owen Bates 6-5 Danny Noppert, Michael Smith 6-0 Rob Cross, Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Dylan Slevin, Martin Schindler 6-4 Karel Sedlacek, Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Luke Humphries, Peter Wright 6-3 Ritchie Edhouse, Josh Rock 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh

“To beat the world number one is an amazing feeling,” reflected Van Barneveld, who will play his compatriot Gian van Veen for a place in the quarter-finals. “Luke is an amazing player. When you’re the World Champion, you have a target on your back, but Luke doesn’t deserve that.”

Dirk van Duijvenbode powered past reigning champion Gerwyn Price in a repeat of last year’s final, reeling off five consecutive legs from 2-1 down to reach the last-16 and boost his hopes of a World Matchplay return.

NEO.bet European Darts Open 2024
Image:
Van Duijvenbode can still qualify for the World Matchplay next month

The 2023 runner-up averaged 102 and pinned six of his nine attempts at double to topple the Welshman, having also hit six of his seven attempts in Friday’s first-round win against Gabriel Clemens.

“My confidence is not there yet, but I feel like I’m getting back to where I used to be,” declared Van Duijvenbode. “I feel determined to show people that Dirk is not done. I feel like I’m getting closer, but I’m not done, I promise you!”

Elsewhere, Michael van Gerwen joined his fellow countrymen in Sunday’s last 16, after kicking off his bid for a record-extending sixth European Darts Open crown with a battling 6-4 success against Dylan Slevin.

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Richard Ashdown questions if Michael van Gerwen has lost the ‘desire and fire’ to play darts ahead of the World Cup

German No 1 Martin Schindler preserved home hopes with a 6-4 victory over Karel Sedlacek and Michael Smith completed a whitewash win against an out-of-sorts Rob Cross to set up a meeting against Peter Wright, who won five straight legs in overturning a 3-1 deficit against Ritchie Edhouse.

Josh Rock produced a ton-topping average to open his challenge for a second straight European Tour title, taking out a spectacular 160 checkout to wrap up a 6-3 win against Dimitri Van den Bergh, as Owen Bates continued his breakthrough run in Leverkusen by recovering from 5-3 down to stun sixth seed Danny Noppert.

What happens next?

Sunday’s last-16 schedule

Owen Bates v Stephen Bunting, Damon Heta v Chris Dobey, Michael van Gerwen v Ryan Searle, Dave Chisnall v Kevin Doets, Dirk van Duijvenbode v Martin Schindler, Michael Smith v Peter Wright, Josh Rock v Ross Smith, Raymond van Barneveld v Gian van Veen

The third round of the NEO.bet European Darts Open will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session at the Ostermann-Arena.

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