Paul Krohne has once again proven he’s a force to be reckoned with in the world of darts, securing his third PDC Europe Next Gen title in Kalkar. Carrying momentum from his Dutch Open success, Krohne delivered a masterclass, culminating in a commanding 6-1 victory over Jaimy van de Weerd in the final. His performance included an astonishing 105 average in one match, highlighting an unstoppable run that captivated fans and cemented his status as a rising star.
Krohne’s Unstoppable Streak Continues
The second weekend of the PDC Europe Next Gen series in Kalkar saw players compete in an exciting FA Cup-style format, with new draws for each knockout round. However, no format could stop the incredible form of Paul Krohne. Fresh off eleven victories at the Dutch Open, the player from Münster added another ten wins in Kalkar, making him exceptionally difficult to beat.
Krohne’s dominance was evident from the start. In the initial league phase, he dropped only a single leg across three matches. The knockout stage began with two emphatic 4-0 whitewashes against seasoned players like Rowby-John Rodriguez, where Krohne achieved a brilliant 105 average, and Cedric Jeske. He then powered through Kevin Troppmann, Patrick Tringler, and Florian Preis – a previous Next Gen event winner – before securing a 5-1 semi-final victory against Carsten Hoffmann.
The final against Jaimy van de Weerd was a testament to Krohne’s class. While van de Weerd opened with an 84 checkout, Krohne quickly took control, rattling off the next three legs in 17, 15, and a dazzling 12 darts, featuring high checkouts of 127 and 129. A superb 10-darter on D16 pushed him to a 4-1 lead, followed by an 81 checkout for 5-1, and a 72 finish to seal the 6-1 triumph.
Van de Weerd’s Impressive Journey to the Final
While Krohne took the title, Jaimy van de Weerd’s performance was equally commendable. Playing on home turf in Kalkar, van de Weerd reached his second Next Gen final of the year, previously facing Daniel Klose in Hildesheim. His path to the final included a remarkable 100 average against Daniel Jäger in the Last 64. He also overcame strong challenges from Michael Hurtz in the quarter-finals and Luca Wolff in the semi-finals, significantly boosting his chances for a spot in the prestigious PDC Europe Super League.
Other Noteworthy Performances and Rising Stars
- Florian Hempel’s Debut: Making his first appearance at the PDC Europe Next Gen, Florian Hempel from Cologne had a stellar start, going undefeated without dropping a single leg in the league phase. He secured two 4-2 victories in the knockout rounds before narrowly losing 3-4 to René Eidams in the Last 32. Daniel Klose, the winner of the first Hildesheim event, was not present in Kalkar.
- Youth and Experience: The semi-finals featured promising 16-year-old Luca Wolff and the experienced Carsten Hoffmann, a 1996 Junior World Masters champion. Tommy Tost and Niklas Tippner also made surprising runs to the quarter-finals.
- International Representation: Austria’s top performers were Patrick Tringler and Patrick Reisenegger, both reaching the Last 16. Tringler narrowly lost to Paul Krohne, while Reisenegger was stopped by Tommy Tost. Marcel Walpen was the best Swiss player, reaching the Last 64.
Tournament Format and Current Rankings
The Kalkar event began with a preliminary league phase, where players competed in “Best of 4 Legs” matches to earn points. The top 128 players from this phase advanced to the knockout rounds, which followed a random draw “FA Cup” style format.
After three tournaments, the overall PDC Europe Next Gen rankings are shaping up:
- 1st: Florian Preis with €2,076
- 2nd: Paul Krohne with €1,680 (a significant jump after this win)
- 3rd: Daniel Klose with €1,576 (despite being absent this weekend)
- Notably, Patrick Tringler (8th, €569) and Marcel Walpen (11th, €470) are currently positioned to represent Austria and Switzerland, respectively, in the PDC Europe Super League.
Looking Ahead: Tomorrow’s Challenge
The excitement continues tomorrow, Sunday, with the fourth PDC Europe Next Gen tournament of the year, once again held in Kalkar. Players will face a new challenge as the competition switches to the “Master-Out” format, promising another thrilling day of darts action.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
