The darts world witnessed a flurry of thrilling action as players battled for coveted spots in upcoming European Tour events. Former World Champion Michael Smith, affectionately known as ‘Bully Boy,’ and rising star Sebastian Bialecki both delivered stellar performances, securing a remarkable double qualification for both the Belgian Darts Open (ET3) in Wieze and the German Darts Grand Prix (ET4) in Munich. Smith showcased a quiet return to dominant form, while Bialecki stunned with a high-average victory over former World Champion Rob Cross. Adding to the drama, veteran Cristo Reyes continued his impressive comeback, punching his ticket for ET3. However, not all big names had success, with Rob Cross and Dimitri Van den Bergh missing out on both events, setting the stage for an exciting 2026 European Tour season.
Smith and Bialecki: A Day of Double Triumphs
Wigan’s Robin Park Leisure Centre was the scene of intense competition, where two players truly shone, earning spots in two separate European Tour events.
Michael Smith: ‘Bully Boy’ Back in Form
After a period of quieter performances, Michael Smith demonstrated a powerful resurgence. The former World Champion navigated through all six of his matches with unwavering focus. His journey included a 6-3 victory over Marvin van Velzen, followed by back-to-back wins against Rob Owen and Ian White, both with averages exceeding 95, to secure his place at the Belgian Darts Open (ET3) in Wieze.
Smith’s impressive run continued as he set his sights on the German Darts Grand Prix (ET4) in Munich, a venue where he triumphed in 2023. He delivered a stunning performance, whitewashing Pascal Rupprecht with a 100.2 average, then cruised to a 6-2 win over Jurjen van der Velde. He capped off a perfect day by defeating Tom Sykes 6-4, completing his double qualification.
Sebastian Bialecki: From Disappointment to Dominance
Young Polish talent Sebastian Bialecki also had a flawless day, mirroring Smith’s achievement. The 22-year-old put behind him the disappointment of not qualifying for the inaugural Poland Darts Open (ET1) by starting strong with a 6-2 win against Tavis Dudeney.
Bialecki then produced one of the day’s most sensational performances, averaging an incredible 103.3 in a magnificent 6-2 victory over the top seed and former World Champion, Rob Cross. A solid 6-3 win against Mickey Mansell confirmed his spot in Belgium. His strong form continued with victories over Madars Razma, Greg Ritchie, and Kai Gotthardt, sealing his own double qualification.
Remarkable Comebacks and New Faces
The qualifiers also highlighted a veteran’s return to form and introduced several new players to the European Tour stage.
Cristo Reyes: The Spartan’s Resurgence
Cristo Reyes, known as ‘The Spartan,’ has been on a remarkable comeback trail. Having already qualified for the Poland Darts Open (ET1) and the European Darts Trophy (ET2), he extended his impressive streak by securing a spot at the Belgian Darts Open (ET3). He achieved this with three convincing 6-4 victories against Chris Landman, Madars Razma, and Niall Culleton.
While his dream run was momentarily halted by Karel Sedlacek in the ET4 qualifiers, Reyes’s performances clearly signal that the former Top 32 player retains his elite skills. After regaining his PDC Tour Card and making his first World Darts Championship appearance since 2020, his European Tour escapades are set to fuel his return to the sport’s upper echelons.
Key ET3 Qualifiers:
- Sietse Lap will make his European Tour debut after a nail-biting last-leg decider against Max Hopp.
- Ryan Meikle achieved a momentous feat, throwing a perfect 9-dart leg in his 6-4 win over Jeffrey de Zwaan, before defeating Adam Paxton to qualify.
- Thibault Tricole and Adam Gawlas secured their places with 6-3 victories over Ricky Evans and Stephen Burton, respectively.
- Lukas Wenig earned his spot by defeating Rhys Griffin 6-4.
- Scott Williams and Tyler Thorpe will also make their debut appearances at the Belgian Darts Open.
Key ET4 Qualifiers:
- Kevin Doets secured his spot in the German Darts Grand Prix with an impressive 98+ average.
- PDC European Tour veteran Kim Huybrechts defeated Jim Long 6-3 to qualify.
- Stephen Burton made amends after missing out on ET3, winning a last-leg decider against David Sharp to qualify for his first European Tour event since August 2024.
- English trio Thomas Lovely, Ritchie Edhouse, and James Hurrell all secured their spots in Munich with 6-4 wins in their final matches.
- Brendan Dolan’s 6-3 win over Ian White was particularly valuable, providing much-needed ranking prize money amidst a challenging Pro Tour start.
- Adam Lipscombe rounded out the qualifiers for the German Darts Grand Prix, seeing off Darryl Pilgrim 6-2.
Notable Absences and Challenging Schedules
While many celebrated, some prominent names faced disappointment.
Big Names Miss Out
The Wigan qualifiers saw several high-profile players miss out. Rob Cross and Dimitri Van den Bergh failed to qualify for both ET3 and ET4. Peter Wright also lost out in the ET3 Qualifier, though he had already secured automatic qualification for ET4 due to multiple seeded player withdrawals, highlighting the competitive nature of these events.
Beau Greaves’ Grueling Start
It’s been an exhausting start to life as a PDC Tour Card holder for Beau Greaves. The 22-year-old has competed in all Pro Tour events, won the first four PDC Women’s Series titles, and attempted to qualify for ET1 and ET2, all while preparing for the 2026 PDC Development Tour. She entered only the second qualifier of the day for ET4 but fell short, losing 6-1 to Darryl Pilgrim in her second match. Her packed schedule underscores the immense demands on emerging talents.
Understanding the PDC European Tour
The 2026 PDC European Tour features 14 events, bringing top-tier darts across the continent. The structure ensures a mix of established stars and fresh talent:
- The world’s Top 16 players receive a bye to the second round.
- The next 16 top-ranked players from the PDC Pro Tour are seeded for the opening round.
- These seeded players face off against various qualifiers in the first round: 10 PDC Tour Card Holders, a Nordic & Baltic Qualifier, an Eastern Europe Qualifier, and four local qualifiers.
- The tour kicks off with the inaugural Poland Darts Open.
Full List of Tour Card Holder Qualifiers:
ET3 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers:
- Sebastian Bialecki
- Sietse Lap
- Thibault Tricole
- Tyler Thorpe
- Michael Smith
- Lukas Wenig
- Adam Gawlas
- Scott Williams
- Ryan Meikle
- Cristo Reyes
ET4 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers:
- Stephen Burton
- Thomas Lovely
- Ritchie Edhouse
- James Hurrell
- Michael Smith
- Kevin Doets
- Adam Lipscombe
- Brendan Dolan
- Kim Huybrechts
- Sebastian Bialecki
Source: Based on an article from Darts Planet TV.
