European Tour Qualifiers: A Day of Ups and Downs
The third and final day of the Pro Tour opener in Hildesheim was dedicated to two crucial European Tour qualifiers, setting the stage for some exciting darts action. Players vied for coveted spots in the upcoming Poland Darts Open and the European Darts Trophy, leading to moments of high drama and unexpected triumphs.
Marvin Kraft’s Dream Debut at the Poland Darts Open
For newly-minted Tour Card holder Marvin Kraft, this qualifier marked a spectacular entry onto the European Tour stage. Despite facing a barrage of missed match darts from his opponents, Kraft’s resilience shone through. He navigated three deciding legs, notably overcoming Alexander Merkx and Justin Hood who collectively squandered an estimated ten match darts against him. **His potential was undeniable, highlighted by a superb 10-darter against Merkx and a consistent 6-2 victory over Kevin Doets.** The true test came in the final against Ricky Evans, where Kraft found himself 2-5 down. Yet, with an incredible sequence of 16, 17, 16, and 13-dart legs, he staged a remarkable comeback to snatch victory. Evans twice missed crucial doubles on his own throw, paving the way for Kraft’s memorable debut.
Kai Gotthardt’s Breakthrough at the European Darts Trophy
The second qualifier saw Kai Gotthardt, known as “The Tunnel,” achieve a significant career milestone. Until this day, Gotthardt had not registered a single 100+ average as a Tour Card holder. However, he broke that barrier not once, but twice in this event! **His stellar form included two 11-darters in a dominant 6-2 win over Stephen Burton, followed by another top-tier performance for a 6-4 victory against Cam Crabtree.** Benefiting from a walkover against the physically ailing Michael Smith, Gotthardt needed only two match wins to secure his third appearance on the European Tour stage, a truly liberating moment for him.
Cristo Reyes: The Unstoppable Force
While Kraft and Gotthardt celebrated individual successes, Spain’s Cristo Reyes was the undisputed star of the day, securing qualification for **both** European Tour events. Playing with the prowess of his best years, Reyes delivered three exceptional performances, each boasting a 90+ average. For the first event, he impressively dispatched top seed Rob Cross with a sensational 107 average. In the second qualifier, he conceded a mere two legs, storming to qualification with whitewash victories over Viktor Tingström and Maik Kuivenhoven. **Reyes’s double qualification underscored a magnificent return to form.**
Other Notable Qualifiers for the Poland Darts Open
Alongside Kraft and Reyes, a host of other international talents booked their tickets to Krakow:
- **Connor Scutt, Thomas Lovely, and Carl Sneyd** all secured their spots after nail-biting deciders.
- **Darryl Pilgrim and Ritchie Edhouse** advanced more comfortably, with Edhouse being the only seeded player to qualify.
- **Adam Gawlas** completed the field, adding to the international flavor.
- Maximilian Czerwinski showed promising form with three 90+ averages but narrowly lost to Jeffrey de Graaf in his final match.
A Mixed Bag for German-Speaking Players
While Kraft and Gotthardt had their moments, the day proved more challenging for many German-speaking players, who couldn’t quite replicate the strong showings from earlier Players Championships.
- **Gabriel Clemens and Max Hopp** both faced early exits in their first matches, despite maintaining decent averages in the 90s. Hopp struggled with his doubles, while Clemens was undone by a clinical opponent.
- **Ricardo Pietreczko and Arno Merk** each managed a single win before their performance levels dipped in the second round.
- **Lukas Wenig** fought through two deciders but ultimately found Ricky Evans too strong.
- Players like Pascal Rupprecht, Matthias Ehlers, Leon Weber, and Yorick Hofkens also secured a win but fell short of the final stages.
- **Rusty-Jake Rodriguez** showed a glimmer of hope with a win but squandered a 4-0 lead against Connor Scutt.
Further Qualifiers for the European Darts Trophy (Göttingen)
The second event in Göttingen will also feature a strong international contingent:
- A Dutch trio of **Jeffrey de Zwaan, Kevin Doets, and Richard Veenstra** successfully qualified.
- Also joining them are **Mario Vandenbogaerde, Shane McGuirk, Ricky Evans, and Sebastian Bialecki.**
For the remaining German players, Leon Weber and Dominik Grüllich reached the last 40, but ultimately bowed out, with most other German participants facing early defeats. Arno Merk and Mensur Suljovic made it to the final qualification game but ran out of steam, while Lukas Wenig couldn’t defend a 4-3 lead against Darius Labanauskas in a hard-fought match.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
