The opening round of the Bahrain Darts Masters delivered exactly what fans hoped for: thrilling darts action where all eight pre-tournament favorites ultimately secured their spots in the next stage. However, their paths to victory were far from easy, marked by spectacular finishes, nail-biting moments, and unexpected challenges. Luke Littler made a dominant statement, Luke Humphries delivered a flawless performance, while Michael van Gerwen had to dig deep to survive a significant scare.
Littler’s Dominant Return: A 170 Checkout Masterclass
In his first competitive match since his World Championship triumph, teenage sensation Luke Littler showed exactly why he’s the player to watch. Facing the legendary Paul Lim, who is 53 years his senior, Littler quickly turned the match into a showcase of his immense talent.
- Lim briefly thrilled the crowd with an opening maximum and a chance to break early.
- Once Littler found his rhythm, he was unstoppable.
- The highlight: A brilliant 170 checkout, completed with his signature “fishing” celebration, which even Lim sportingly joined in.
- Littler maintained heavy scoring and clinical finishing, securing a decisive 6-1 victory and reaffirming his love for the Bahrain stage.
Humphries’ Flawless Performance: A Third Consecutive Whitewash
World Champion Luke Humphries continued his sensational form, delivering a perfect performance against Abdulla Saeed. For Saeed, hopes of avoiding another shutout were quickly dashed.
- Humphries started with a maximum and effortlessly moved through the gears, dominating the scoring.
- Saeed had one fleeting moment of hope with a dart at bull for a 161 finish, but it wasn’t enough to challenge Humphries.
- The result was a resounding 6-0 victory, marking Humphries’ third consecutive whitewash against Saeed on this very stage.
Aspinall’s Tense Escape: A Battle of Nerves
Nathan Aspinall battled through a messy and tense encounter against Lourence Ilagan, emerging victorious but looking more relieved than triumphant.
- The match was characterized by frequent momentum shifts and missed doubles from both players.
- Ilagan constantly threatened, while Aspinall struggled to find his usual smooth rhythm.
- Aspinall even appeared to miscount and missed multiple match darts, but Ilagan couldn’t capitalize on the lifelines.
- Ultimately, Aspinall found a way to close out the match, a testament to his resilience.
Noppert Halts Local Hero’s Dream
Dutch number three Danny Noppert faced Basem Mahmood, who had the full support of the home crowd and gave them a memorable moment.
- After two early legs went to Noppert, Mahmood produced a huge moment for Bahrain darts: a maximum, followed by back-to-back 140s, culminating in a double 2 finish to claim his first-ever leg at the Bahrain Darts Masters. The arena erupted in cheers.
- However, Noppert proved too steady, growing stronger as the match progressed.
- He finished sharply, including two maximums in the final leg and a 12-darter to seal a 6-1 victory.
Van Veen’s Revenge: Capitalizing on Missed Opportunities
Gian van Veen entered his match against Man Lok Leung with a clear goal: revenge for their previous encounter at Alexandra Palace.
- Leung had several opportunities and at times looked poised to take a comfortable lead.
- Crucially, Leung’s missed doubles kept inviting Van Veen back into the legs.
- While Van Veen wasn’t always at his peak, he effectively punished his opponent’s errors and consistently found a path to victory.
- He closed out the match with five successive legs, including a 13-dart hold on tops, to secure a 6-2 win.
Price Survives Scare: The Iceman’s Great Escape
Gerwyn Price endured a tough challenge against Reynaldo Sakai, who pushed the Welshman to his limits and provided genuine hope for an upset.
- Sakai frequently outscored Price and applied constant pressure, leaving Price visibly frustrated and in uncharacteristically low scoring territory.
- However, Sakai couldn’t land the crucial “killer blows”, repeatedly missing doubles that would have secured legs.
- As the match tightened, Price, the seasoned favorite, found his championship form, securing a 6-4 escape with an 11-darter and a 54 finish on tops.
Van Gerwen’s Nail-Biting Victory: Toylo’s Unforgettable Challenge
The most dramatic encounter of the night saw Michael van Gerwen survive a serious challenge from Alexis Toylo, who came tantalizingly close to causing a major upset.
- This was a proper contest, filled with 180s and pressure-filled legs.
- Toylo displayed remarkable composure, seemingly unfazed by facing one of darts’ biggest names.
- He even produced a classy 12-dart hold that included an 86 checkout via the bullseye, bringing the score to a tense 4-4.
- The turning point arrived when Van Gerwen delivered a sensational 170 visit to leave double 16, then coolly pinned it for a crucial break to go 5-4 up.
- Toylo, visibly emotional, wiped his eyes as the golden opportunity slipped away.
- Van Gerwen then sealed his 6-4 victory with a 72 finish on double 12, booking his quarter-final spot. MVG will certainly know he narrowly avoided an early exit.
Bunting’s Hard-Fought Defense Begins
Defending champion Stephen Bunting started his title defense with a 6-2 win over Ryusei Azemoto, a scoreline that belies the chaotic closing stages of the match.
- Azemoto took the opening leg, forcing Bunting to gradually build his level.
- “The Bullet” eventually took control with a timely maximum and a 14-dart break.
- However, as the winning line approached, Bunting’s doubles became a “maze,” as he missed multiple match darts on double 16, then double 8 and double 4, offering Azemoto several lifelines.
- Despite chances to punish, including a look at a 160 finish and three darts at a double to break, Azemoto couldn’t capitalize.
- Bunting eventually secured his place in the quarter-finals by pinning double two.
With all favorites progressing, Friday’s quarter-finals are set for even more high-stakes action. Each match will be played as the best of 11 legs.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Planet TV.
