The European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen delivered a thrilling afternoon session, highlighted by a massive upset as Germany’s Martin Schindler demolished world-class Jonny Clayton with a dominant 6-1 victory. Elsewhere, Dutch star Michael van Gerwen narrowly escaped an early exit, surviving a match dart in a nail-biting decider. While crowd favorite Niko Springer’s journey ended, Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price, Krzysztof Ratajski, Wessel Nijman, and Ross Smith all advanced, setting the stage for an electrifying evening of quarter-final action.
Schindler Delivers a Stunner Against “The Ferret”
The biggest shock of the afternoon session saw Germany’s own Martin Schindler put on a darting masterclass, absolutely dismantling Welsh superstar Jonny Clayton with an emphatic 6-1 win. “The Wall” was in sensational form, averaging 101.00, while Clayton, usually a consistent performer, struggled to find his rhythm.
Schindler started strong, taking the first three legs with impressive 17-dart finishes and a clinical double 8. He continued his relentless charge, adding a checkout on tops and a 74 finish to storm into a 5-0 lead, giving Clayton barely a look at the doubles. “The Ferret” managed to avoid a complete whitewash with a 64 checkout, but Schindler quickly sealed the deal with a brilliant 10-darter, securing his spot in the evening session.
Hopes Dashed for Springer, Noppert Advances
Following his impressive win over defending champion Gary Anderson yesterday, hopes were high for German talent Niko Springer against Danny Noppert. However, despite Noppert’s somewhat weaker performance in the previous round, Springer couldn’t maintain the consistency needed to overcome “The Freeze.”
Noppert, known for his ice-cold finishing, capitalized on Springer’s missed opportunities. Though Noppert made his only two double errors in the opening leg, which Springer snatched, the Dutchman quickly found his form. He took the next two legs in 14 and 16 darts after Springer missed three crucial darts at double 8. Noppert extended his lead, but Springer fought back, including a fantastic 121 checkout to close the gap to 4-5. Ultimately, the world number 10, Noppert, secured the victory with a 17-darter.
Aspinall Dominates, Wade Exits
Nathan Aspinall, fresh off his Munich victory, continued his strong run, defeating a not-unimpressive James Wade 6-3. Aspinall started with quick 14 and 15-dart legs before Wade responded with a superb 101 checkout. “The Asp” then extended his lead to 4-1 with rapid 13 and 12-dart legs. Wade battled back, hitting a 68 checkout and then tops to make it 3-4, but Aspinall proved too strong, closing out the match with decisive checkouts of 87 and a spectacular 150 finish.
Rock Falls in Decider, Van Gerwen’s Great Escape
In another tense encounter, Josh Rock was eliminated by Ross Smith in a deciding leg. The match was tight at 2-2 before “Smudger” secured his first break. Smith built a two-leg lead with 16 and 11-dart legs, maintaining it to 5-3 with a 108 finish. Despite Rock’s efforts to force a decider, he ultimately lost in 15 darts without getting a match dart.
Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen narrowly avoided an early exit, surviving a scare against Jermaine Wattimena. Wattimena missed five check darts in the very first leg, setting the tone for a tightly contested match. The game remained balanced at 4-4, with both players hitting 14-darters to force a decider. In the crucial final leg, Wattimena missed a 100 finish, allowing “Mighty Mike” to step in and hit double 4 for a dramatic victory.
Price Holds Off Dobey, Ratajski and Nijman Advance
Gerwyn Price, “The Iceman,” showcased a commanding performance, averaging 106.00, to defeat Chris Dobey 6-4. Price started strong with a 117 finish in the first leg and built a significant lead due to his superior scoring. Dobey mounted a late comeback, reducing the deficit from 2-5, but ultimately missed check darts that would have forced a decider.
Earlier in the day, Krzysztof Ratajski secured a 6-2 victory over Joe Cullen in a less spectacular but effective display. After Cullen hit a 127 checkout on the bullseye to level at 2-2, Ratajski immediately responded with a stunning 160 checkout and never looked back, sealing his quarter-final spot with a 112 finish in the final leg.
Wessel Nijman also advanced with a 6-3 win over Stephen Bunting. The Dutchman established an early 4-1 lead with a crucial break. Although Bunting managed to take two more legs, his low 18% double success rate proved too costly to mount a serious challenge.
European Darts Grand Prix: Evening Session & Prize Money
The European Darts Grand Prix 2026 culminates with an exciting evening session featuring the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the grand final. Here’s a look at the matchups:
Quarter-Finals:
- Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Danny Noppert
- Nathan Aspinall vs. Ross Smith
- Michael van Gerwen vs. Wessel Nijman
- Martin Schindler vs. Gerwyn Price (A highly anticipated clash!)
Semi-Finals:
- Winner Quarter-Final 1 vs. Winner Quarter-Final 2
- Winner Quarter-Final 3 vs. Winner Quarter-Final 4
Final:
- Winner Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner Semi-Final 2
A total prize fund of £230,000 is up for grabs at this tournament. The winner will take home a substantial £35,000. It’s important to note that for prize money to count towards the PDC Order of Merit and Pro Tour Order of Merit, players must win their opening match. If they lose their first game, they still receive the prize money, but it does not contribute to these vital ranking tables.
Prize Money Breakdown:
- Winner: £35,000
- Runner-Up: £15,000
- Semi-Finals: £10,000
- Quarter-Finals: £8,000
- Last 16: £5,000
- Second Round: £3,500
- First Round: £2,000
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
