Kim Huybrechts, known as ‘The Hurricane’, has once again proven his dominance by winning the Zwaantje Masters for the second time in his career. In a thrilling all-Belgian final, he narrowly defeated compatriot Andy Baetens 3-2. This year’s tournament, held in a scorching but vibrant Eindhoven, showcased top-tier darts action and saw Belgian players emerge as the undisputed stars of the event, with Huybrechts ultimately claiming the coveted trophy.
The Ninth Edition: A Darts Spectacle in Eindhoven
The ninth installment of the Zwaantje Masters, hosted in the famously atmospheric Eindhoven, drew an impressive roster of darting greats. Friday evening saw stars like Danny Noppert, Mervyn King, and Terry Jenkins entertain the crowd, with even more big names joining on Saturday afternoon. In total, 42 darters stepped up to the oche, commencing with an intense group stage.
Group Stage Drama: Baetens Shines, Legends Struggle
The tournament kicked off at 13:00 with seven groups of six players. The format was clear: the top two from each group would advance to the last 16, joined by the two strongest third-place finishers. While top players mostly avoided early clashes, the draw still produced some gripping encounters:
- Mervyn King secured a 4-2 victory over fellow tour card holder Marvin van Velzen.
- Danny Noppert (‘The Freeze’) defeated Dennie Olde Kalter 4-1.
- WDF World Champion Jimmy van Schie edged out Johann Brouwer 4-3 in a tight contest.
The undisputed star of the first round was Belgium’s Andy Baetens. He dominated his group, winning all his matches with an impressive average of over 100 and, remarkably, without losing a single leg.
While Baetens and fellow Belgian Kim Huybrechts navigated the group stage with ease, several notable names failed to progress. Dennie Olde Kalter and Benito van de Pas couldn’t gather enough wins, and two darts legends from the past, Tony O’Shea (one win) and Co Stompé (two wins), also found themselves out of contention early. Terry Jenkins (‘The Raging Bull’) just scraped through as one of the two best third-place finishers. A hidden highlight came from John Sloos, who recorded the highest finish of the tournament with a magnificent 164 checkout.
The Knockout Rounds: Tensions Rise
Last 16 Showdowns
The players who made it through included many seasoned champions. Kim Huybrechts, Jimmy van Schie, Mervyn King, and Danny Noppert all leveraged their experience to secure victories in the last 16, though some wins came harder than others.
- Local hero Michael van de Ven was 4-2 up against Jimmy van Schie (‘The Dutch Sequoia’) and even missed a match dart. Van Schie, however, fought back, securing the win with an 88 checkout.
- Andy Baetens had a narrow escape, winning 5-4 against Ziggy Schenk.
- A strong performance from Pedro van Bergen saw him surprise Johann Brouwer with a dominant 5-0 victory.
The complete Last 16 results:
- Andy Baetens 5-4 Ziggy Schenk
- Pedro van Bergen 5-0 Johann Brouwer
- Mervyn King 5-2 Willem Mandigers
- Danny Noppert 5-0 Dennis van der Steen
- Mike van Duivenbode 5-3 Terry Jenkins
- Marvin van Velzen 5-2 Joppe Bakens
- Jimmy van Schie 5-4 Michael van de Ven
- Kim Huybrechts 5-0 Mike Verkuijlen
Quarter-Final Thrillers: Dutch Hopes Dwindle
The quarter-finals proved to be a tough stage for the remaining Dutch players, with only one managing to advance. Mike van Duivenbode was the sole Dutchman to win his match, doing so against compatriot Marvin van Velzen (6-3).
- Andy Baetens continued his strong run, defeating Pedro van Bergen 6-4. Despite the loss, Van Bergen secured automatic qualification for next year’s edition with his impressive performance.
- Mervyn King edged out Danny Noppert in a tight 6-4 contest.
- The most dramatic match saw Kim Huybrechts and Jimmy van Schie battle it out. Both players started furiously, exchanging legs, and then both missed crucial match darts in the deciding leg. Van Schie squandered three chances, allowing Huybrechts to find the outer ring and progress to the semi-finals in a thrilling 6-5 victory.
The complete Quarter-Final results:
- Andy Baetens 6-4 Pedro van Bergen
- Mervyn King 6-4 Danny Noppert
- Mike van Duivenbode 6-3 Marvin van Velzen
- Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Jimmy van Schie
The Semi-Finals: An All-Belgian Final Awaits
The four strongest players from the earlier stages had now reached the semi-finals, where the format switched to sets. This guaranteed an all-Belgian final, setting the stage for an exciting climax.
- Andy Baetens and Mervyn King kicked off the main stage program. Baetens quickly took control, winning all legs in his own set. He delivered a swift blow with a 15-darter, as the day’s length began to take its toll on King. ‘The King’ managed to win only one leg, and Baetens comfortably secured his spot in the final with a 2-0 sets victory.
- In the second semi-final, Kim Huybrechts, who had narrowly escaped in the quarter-final, maintained a comfortable lead. Against Mike van Duivenbode, both players struggled on the doubles in the first leg, but the PDC professional remained the calmer. Van Duivenbode showed resilience with a 130 finish in the second set, but Huybrechts countered with a 15-darter and sealed his 2-0 sets victory three legs later.
The complete Semi-Final results:
- Andy Baetens 2-0 Mervyn King
- Kim Huybrechts 2-0 Mike van Duivenbode
The Grand Finale: Huybrechts vs. Baetens – A Battle of Belgians
The stage was set for an epic all-Belgian final. Kim Huybrechts held the advantage of having won the title in Eindhoven in 2021, but Andy Baetens seemed to have saved his best darts for the last match of the day. The final was a captivating back-and-forth battle:
- Baetens’ Explosive Start: ‘The Beast from the East’ burst out of the blocks with an 11-darter, followed by a 13-darter, to claim the first set. His average soared to over 104 in the second set.
- Huybrechts Capitalizes on Missed Doubles: Baetens then missed more than five crucial darts at the outer ring to go 2-0 up, allowing Huybrechts to strike hard twice and level the match.
- Baetens Fights Back: Undeterred, Baetens regrouped with an excellent 13-darter and secured the third set, regaining the lead at 2-1.
- Huybrechts Forces Decider: Set four went swiftly to Huybrechts, who checked out 62 to level the score at 2-2, forcing a decisive fifth set.
- The Deciding Set: Huybrechts’ Masterclass: Although Baetens started the final set, Huybrechts delivered an immediate blow with a stunning 125 finish. A 16-darter followed (after Baetens missed 130 on the bull), and ‘The Hurricane’ wasted no time, closing out the match with an 11-darter in the very next leg.
This magnificent darting day concluded with a fitting end: Kim Huybrechts, with his second Zwaantje Masters title, was crowned the king of Eindhoven once more at Café Zaal ‘t Zwaantje, cementing his place in the tournament’s history.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
