Darts Heartbreak in Antwerp: Schindler’s Grand Prix Hopes Dashed as Dutch Stars Dominate
The Flanders Darts Trophy delivered a day of high drama and crucial outcomes. German star Martin Schindler faced a bitter defeat, missing out on the prestigious World Grand Prix for the first time since 2022. Local hero Andy Baetens also exited the tournament, leaving the home crowd disappointed. However, it was a triumphant afternoon for the Dutch contingent, with Kevin Doets, Jermaine Wattimena, and Danny Noppert all securing their spots in Sunday’s final stages. This recap covers all the key moments, upsets, and standout performances from an unforgettable day of darts.
Schindler’s World Grand Prix Dream Ends
The writing was on the wall, and now it’s official: Martin Schindler will not compete in the World Grand Prix this year. His 6-4 loss to 2018 World Champion Rob Cross at the Flanders Darts Trophy sealed his fate. Schindler had needed just two victories in Antwerp to secure his qualification, but a challenging performance saw his hopes extinguished.
- Key Factors in Schindler’s Loss:
- Poor Double Percentage: Struggled to hit crucial doubles throughout the match.
- Errant Scoring: Too many darts strayed into the low-scoring 5-segment.
- Match Breakdown:
- The opening three legs were tight 15-dart holds.
- Cross leveled at 2-2 with a sharp 13-darter.
- “Voltage” secured the first break, taking a 4-2 lead with a 20-darter on D1.
- Despite double troubles from both players, Schindler narrowed the gap to 3-4 with a 21-darter, then leveled at 4-4 with a 70 checkout.
- However, a lack of scoring saw Schindler lose his throw again, allowing Cross to close out the match strongly with a 12-darter, including an 87 finish.
Baetens Bows Out, Dobey Dominates
Local favourite Andy Baetens’ journey at his home tournament came to an end after a 6-2 defeat to Ryan Searle. Baetens started promisingly, securing the first two legs in 13 and 20 darts. However, missing three darts at tops in the third leg proved costly, allowing Searle to gain a foothold. “Heavy Metal” then produced some clinical finishes, including a 105 checkout, a 122 on the bullseye, and an 88 checkout to take a commanding 4-2 lead, ultimately closing the match with a 110 checkout.
In another match, Chris Dobey emerged victorious with a 6-1 win over Niels Zonneveld, though the statistics revealed a surprising story: a staggering 36 doubles were missed across just seven legs. Dobey secured a 3-0 lead with legs of 18, 14, and 15 darts. Zonneveld’s sole leg came via a 26-darter, highlighting the struggles on the outer ring for both players.
Dutch Contingent Shines Bright
The afternoon session proved highly successful for the Dutch players, with three advancing to Sunday’s action:
- Kevin Doets vs. Krzysztof Ratajski (6-5):
- Doets started brilliantly, including a 140 checkout, building a 4-1 lead.
- Missed doubles allowed Ratajski to claw back to 4-4, forcing a deciding leg.
- In the decider, Ratajski missed a 120 Shanghai finish for the win, giving Doets the chance to seal victory on tops.
- Jermaine Wattimena vs. Karel Sedlacek (6-3):
- This loss means Karel Sedlacek also misses out on the World Grand Prix.
- Sedlacek nearly hit a spectacular 132 finish (Bull-Bull-D16) early on but quickly found himself 0-5 down.
- He mounted a strong comeback, winning three consecutive legs with a 150 checkout among them, to make it 3-5.
- However, Wattimena stopped the comeback in its tracks with a 13-darter to secure his spot.
- Danny Noppert vs. Chris Landman (6-2):
- In an all-Dutch clash, favourite Danny Noppert comfortably defeated Chris Landman.
- “The Freeze” raced to a 4-0 lead with legs of 15, 14, 15, and 14 darts, giving Landman no chances on doubles.
- Landman showed his class with a “Big Fish” 170 checkout to make it 1-4 and also took the sixth leg, but could not prevent the loss.
- This means Landman continues his wait for a final day appearance in his third European Tour second-round match.
What’s Next at the Flanders Darts Trophy?
The tournament continues with the evening session, where the second round will be completed. Fans can anticipate more thrilling darts action as top players battle for a place in Sunday’s final stages.
Tournament Prize Money
The Flanders Darts Trophy boasts a total prize fund of £230,000, with the winner taking 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 rankings, players must win their opening match. If they lose their first game, they still receive the prize money, but it does not contribute to their ranking points.
- Winner: £35,000
- Runner-Up: £15,000
- Semi-Finals: £10,000
- Quarter-Finals: £8,000
- Last 16: £5,000
- Last 32: £3,500
- First Round: £2,000
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
