The 2026 Austrian Darts Open saw an action-packed second round, with several top players making headlines. Local hero Mensur Suljovic was eliminated in front of his home crowd, while Niko Springer delivered a breathtaking 6-0 whitewash against Wessel Nijman, marking one of the tournament’s most dominant performances. Gian van Veen, a top seed, continued his struggles, suffering another early exit, while darts titans Michael van Gerwen and Martin Schindler secured impressive victories to advance to the final day.
Springer’s Sensational Whitewash
The standout performance of the day came from Germany’s Niko Springer, who absolutely dismantled Wessel Nijman with a spectacular 6-0 victory. This wasn’t just any win; Springer delivered arguably his best seasonal performance, leaving Nijman, currently the top Pro Tour player, stunned. Springer checked out 130 to start, then raced to a 4-0 lead with legs in 13, 14, and 15 darts. Despite missing seven match darts, his average still hovered around the 100-point mark, and he sealed the whitewash after Nijman also failed to convert his chances. This dominant display sees Springer reach the last 16 of a European Tour event for the third consecutive time.
Schindler Dominates Wright, Suljovic Falls
Martin Schindler continued his strong form, securing a comfortable 6-2 win over former world champion Peter Wright. Wright initially punished some missed doubles with a 107 finish and an 82 checkout to lead 2-1, but his performance then significantly dropped off. Schindler found his rhythm, hitting numerous 180s and breaking Wright with a 65 finish to go 3-2 up. Despite a few double errors of his own, Schindler gave Wright no further opportunities, closing out the match convincingly.
For Austria’s own Mensur Suljovic, his home tournament dream ended in the second round with a 2-6 loss to the seeded James Wade. ‘The Machine’ showed his feared timing, securing two early breaks in just 11 darts each. Suljovic missed his only double chance in the early stages, quickly falling 0-4 behind. Although ‘The Gentle’ managed to recover his throw and hit a brilliant 111 checkout to make it 2-4, Wade delivered the final blow with a clinical 120 finish. Wade even capped off his performance with a third 11-dart leg after seven perfect darts.
Van Veen’s Struggles Continue, Van Gerwen’s Revenge
Life as a top seed on the European Tour has proven challenging for Gian van Veen, who suffered his third consecutive opening-round defeat. Despite leading the seeding due to the absences of Littler and Humphries, Van Veen couldn’t convert this advantage into on-board dominance. He lost 5-6 to Madars Razma in a tightly contested match. After the first six legs were shared, Razma secured the first break in 14 darts. Van Veen fought back with two strong legs to lead 5-4, but Razma held his nerve with an 80 checkout. The Latvian played a superior deciding leg, eventually progressing with his fifth match dart.
In contrast, Michael van Gerwen, Van Veen’s Premier League rival, had a much smoother path, defeating Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3. After a slow start saw him fall 0-2 behind, ‘MvG’ ignited his turbo. He connected with a 14-dart leg, followed by checkouts of 137, 75, and 128 points in quick succession. Ratajski, ‘The Polish Eagle’, briefly got back on the scoreboard with a 98 check after Van Gerwen missed his first match dart. But Van Gerwen ruthlessly checked out 121 points in 12 darts, avenging his Pro Tour loss earlier in the week.
Other Notable Matches
- Danny Noppert survived three match darts to edge out Alan Soutar 6-5. Soutar battled both his doubles and several bounce-outs, leading 3-1 before Noppert leveled with 15 and 14-dart legs. In a deciding leg, Soutar couldn’t finish 36, allowing Noppert to seize the win.
- Daryl Gurney defeated Ian White 6-3, sealing the match with a massive 157 checkout after White was waiting on a double to make it 5-4. Gurney had built an early lead with a 110 checkout and a 13-darter.
- Josh Rock secured a 6-3 victory over Patrik Kovacs. The Hungarian missed high finishes early on, including a 132 on double 16. Rock capitalized with a 107 checkout and a 94 finish to extend his lead, eventually pulling away with an 11-darter in the final leg.
Looking Ahead: Finals Day Schedule
The Austrian Darts Open 2026 concludes on Sunday, May 10th, with two exciting sessions:
Afternoon Session (13:00 CEST) – Round of 16:
- Kevin Doets vs. Ryan Joyce
- James Wade vs. Luke Woodhouse
- Kim Huybrechts vs. Andrew Gilding
- Michael van Gerwen vs. Rob Cross
- Danny Noppert vs. Cristo Reyes
- Josh Rock vs. Niko Springer
- Ross Smith vs. Martin Schindler
- Madars Razma vs. Daryl Gurney
Evening Session (19:00 CEST) – Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, & Final:
- Quarter-Finals: Winners from Round of 16 matches compete.
- Semi-Finals: Winners from Quarter-Finals compete.
- Final: Two finalists battle for the title.
Prize Money Breakdown
A total of £230,000 is on offer for the tournament. Players must win their opening match for their prize money to count towards the PDC Order of Merit and Pro Tour Order of Merit. If they lose their first game, they still receive the prize money, but it does not contribute to these rankings.
- Winner: £35,000
- Runner-Up: £15,000
- Semi-Finals: £10,000
- Quarter-Finals: £8,000
- Last 16: £5,000
- Last 32: £3,500
- Last 64: £2,000
- Total Prize Fund: £230,000
The Austrian Darts Open, like all major PDC tournaments, was broadcast live, allowing fans to follow every dart of the action.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
