This week in darts, the community is buzzing with significant developments: a major upset as Welsh star Gerwyn Price withdraws from the World Cup of Darts, replaced by Nick Kenny; North American talent Adam Sevada makes waves by dominating the CDC Tour with back-to-back victories; and Leonard Gates secures his spot in the prestigious U.S. Darts Masters. Adding to the headlines, Neil Duff sets a new record at the Modus Darts Super Series, while the Steel Darts Tour Japan begins its new season. Beyond the oche, former BDO World Champion Mark Webster bravely shares a health update, and a substantial investment from Bruin Capital is set to fuel Matchroom Holdings’ global expansion.
Price Pulls Out: Wales Makes World Cup of Darts Change
In a surprising turn of events, Gerwyn Price, one of the sport’s biggest names, has voluntarily withdrawn from representing Wales at this year’s World Cup of Darts. His absence is a significant blow to the Welsh team, who will now see Nick Kenny step in alongside Jonny Clayton. Meanwhile, Ireland will feature Mickey Mansell alongside William O’Connor. Germany’s strong pairing of Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko remains unchanged. The World Cup of Darts promises an exciting lineup of international talent:
Confirmed World Cup of Darts Teams:
- Top 4 Seeded Teams (Start in Round 2):
- England: Luke Littler & Luke Humphries
- Netherlands: Gian van Veen & Michael van Gerwen
- Northern Ireland: Josh Rock & Daryl Gurney
- Scotland: Gary Anderson & Cameron Menzies
- Teams 5-16 (Start in Round 1):
- Germany: Martin Schindler & Ricardo Pietreczko
- Belgium: Mike De Decker & Dimitri van den Bergh
- Wales: Jonny Clayton & Nick Kenny
- Ireland: William O’Connor & Mickey Mansell
- Poland: Krzysztof Ratajski & Sebastian Bialecki
- Sweden: Jeffrey de Graaf & Oskar Lukasiak
- Australia: Damon Heta & Adam Leek
- Czech Republic: Karel Sedlacek & Adam Gawlas
- Austria: Mensur Suljovic & Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
- Latvia: Madars Razma & Valters Melderis
- Croatia: Boris Krcmar & Pero Ljubic
- Finland: Jani Haavisto & Jonas Masalin
- Additional Participating Teams:
- Canada: Jim Long & David Cameron
- China: Xiaochen Zong & Qingyu Zhan
- Denmark: Andreas Toft Jørgensen & Jonas Graversen
- France: Thibault Tricole & Nicolas Thuillier
- Hong Kong: Man Lok Leung & Lok Yin Lee
- Hungary: Patrik Kovacs & Pal Szekely
- India: Nitin Kumar & Ankit Goenka
- Italy: Michele Turetta & Riccardo Castelli
- Japan: Motomu Sakai & Haruki Muramatsu
- Lithuania: Darius Labanauskas & Mindaugas Barauskas
- Mongolia: Altantülkhüür Myagmarsüren & Ganzorig Lkhagvasüren
- New Zealand: Jonny Tata & Ben Robb
- Norway: Cor Dekker & Kent Jøran Sivertsen
- Philippines: Alexis Toylo & Paolo Nebrida
- Portugal: José de Sousa & Luis Camacho
- Singapore: Paul Lim & Phuay Wei Tan
- Slovenia: Benjamin Pratnemer & Stefano Bozicek
- South Africa: Graham Filby & Devon Petersen
- Spain: Cristo Reyes & José Justicia
- Switzerland: Stefan Bellmont & Marcel Walpen
- Thailand: Sarayut Ouamuapa & Sorawis Rodman
- Trinidad and Tobago: Joshua Balfour & James Walklin
- Uganda: Patrick Ocheng & Juma Said
- USA: Adam Sevada & Stowe Buntz
Adam Sevada Dominates CDC Tour Season Opener
The CDC Tour kicked off its season in Niagara Falls with a bang, and one name stood out above the rest: Adam Sevada. The talented dart player secured an impressive double victory, winning both of the season’s opening tournaments.
Event 1 Triumph:
- Sevada navigated through tough opponents, including Gary Brooks (5-3), Albert Antsey (6-0), and Michael Nguyen (6-2).
- In a thrilling semi-final, he faced a match dart against Jeff Smith but held his nerve to advance.
- The final against Stowe Buntz was a nail-biter. Sevada won three legs in a row and clinched the title with a spectacular 116 checkout in the deciding leg, winning 7-6.
Event 2 Victory:
- Sevada’s journey in the second event nearly ended prematurely in the Last 16, where Ram Guevara Jr famously missed a staggering 14 match darts, allowing Sevada to escape.
- He capitalized on this lifeline, going on to defeat Nick Linberg (6-1) and Danny Young (7-4).
- In the final, Sevada delivered a dominant performance against Brayden Hall, securing a 7-2 win with an impressive 97 average.
These back-to-back wins put Sevada firmly at the top of the CDC Tour rankings, ahead of Brayden Hall and David Cameron.
Leonard Gates Claims First U.S. Darts Masters Qualifier
The first qualifier for the prestigious U.S. Darts Masters has concluded, with Leonard Gates living up to his billing as a favorite. “The Soulger” triumphed, also earning a coveted spot in the North American Darts Championship. Gates showcased strong form, defeating Charlie Harrison (5-1), BJ Pollock (5-1), and ultimately Brad Farley (5-3) in the final. Notably, four World Championship participants—Adam Sevada, Danny Lauby, Jeff Smith, and Ross Snook—were all eliminated in the Last 16, highlighting the competitive depth of the field.
Neil Duff Sets New Record at Modus Darts Super Series
The Modus Darts Super Series saw history being made as Neil Duff secured his seventh weekly title, establishing a new record for the series. His dominant run culminated in a final showdown against Steve West, who himself was aiming for a sixth title. Duff, known as “The Duff Man,” emerged victorious with a 4-2 win. Earlier in the competition, Duff also overcame Benito van de Pas. Reece Colley reached the semi-finals, while Paul Hogan and Kevin Edwards exited at the group stage on the final night.
Key Results:
- Semi-final 1: Steve West 4-0 Reece Colley
- Semi-final 2: Neil Duff 4-1 Benito van de Pas
- Final: Neil Duff 4-2 Steve West
Steel Darts Tour Japan Kicks Off New Season with Four Events
The Steel Darts Tour Japan launched its new season in Chiba with a packed schedule of four tournaments over two days. Motomu Sakai was the standout performer, reaching all four finals. However, he could only convert one of those into a victory. Keita Ono proved to be the most successful with two wins, while Yutaka Sunakawa claimed one title. After these initial four events, Motomu Sakai leads the rankings with 272 points, followed by Keita Ono (188) and Yutaka Sunakawa (168).
Event Winners:
- Event 1: Motomu Sakai def. Kenichi Ajiki (5-3)
- Event 2: Keita Ono def. Motomu Sakai (5-3)
- Event 3: Yutaka Sunakawa def. Motomu Sakai (5-2)
- Event 4: Keita Ono def. Motomu Sakai (5-2)
Mark Webster Shares Health Battle: A Brave Update
Darts fans have missed Mark Webster’s insightful commentary on Sky Sports broadcasts recently, and the Welshman has now revealed the reason. The 2008 BDO World Champion has been diagnosed with Hairy Cell Leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer. Speaking to Darts World, Webster provided a reassuring update: “It sounds bad when you say leukemia, but the prognosis is good, 95 percent of cases are successful. I’m coping pretty well and dealing with it as best I can,” he stated, although acknowledging that progress isn’t as fast as he’d hoped. The entire darts community extends its best wishes for his continued recovery.
Bruin Capital Invests in Darts Powerhouse Matchroom Holdings
In a significant business development, Bruin Capital has acquired a minority stake in Matchroom Holdings LTD, the global sports promotion giant. The Hearn family will retain the majority of shares and continue to lead the company, with Eddie Hearn serving as Group Chairman and Barry Hearn as Founder and President. Bruin Capital will gain a seat on Matchroom’s board of directors. This strategic partnership is designed to propel Matchroom into its next phase of growth, with a particular focus on expanding its already growing presence in the United States.
George Pyne, Founder and CEO of Bruin Capital, expressed his enthusiasm: “Barry, Eddie, and the Matchroom team have built one of the most significant independent sports businesses globally. Matchroom operates at the intersection of live events, global media rights, and premium sports IPs; we see immense future opportunities – especially in the United States.” Barry Hearn added, “We’ve built this company over forty years by maintaining our independence and consistently focusing on operational execution. With Bruin, we’ve found a partner who understands how to grow sports businesses at scale and can help us take the next step in our development – without altering our proven way of working.” Eddie Hearn echoed these sentiments, noting, “The opportunities for Matchroom – both in the United States and globally – continue to expand. This partnership with Bruin positions us to accelerate our expansion and build upon the foundation we have created.”
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
