The Swiss Darts Trophy delivered drama and stellar performances, but for Martin Schindler, his European Championship qualification hangs by a thread after an early exit. Meanwhile, Ross Smith has officially clinched the coveted European Tour #1 ranking, while former world champion Michael Smith announced his return to form with a dominant display. The afternoon session saw several nail-biting finishes and significant upsets, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the tournament.
Schindler’s European Championship Hopes Dwindle
German star Martin Schindler continues to struggle on the European Tour, recording just one victory in his last seven appearances. His latest defeat, a 4-6 loss to Tom Bissell at the Swiss Darts Trophy, has made the scenario of missing out on the European Championship a very real possibility. Schindler had opportunities, even saving the first leg, but crucial missed doubles, including hitting the single 9 instead of double 12 for a break chance, proved costly. Despite a brief comeback to level the match at 2-2 with a 19-darter, his scoring consistency faltered. Bissell, growing stronger, extended his lead to 5-3. Schindler fought back with a superb 108 checkout, but Bissell sealed his first European Tour Last 16 appearance with a clinical 11-darter. Schindler now faces the risk of falling out of the European Tour’s top 32 this weekend.
Ross Smith Secures European Tour #1 Ranking
Ross Smith has officially secured the top spot in the European Tour rankings, even before the Dutch Darts Championship. This was made possible after his closest rival, Wessel Nijman, suffered a 4-6 defeat against the in-form Karel Sedlacek. In a tightly contested match, Sedlacek showcased his finishing prowess with a 138 checkout to level at 2-2. Nijman responded with a 12-darter and a high-finish to regain the lead, but crucial missed doubles allowed Sedlacek to take a 4-3 lead. Sedlacek then confidently closed out the match, defending his throw to win. Following Nijman’s loss, Ross Smith sealed his #1 ranking with a strong 6-4 victory over William O’Connor. Smith averaged an impressive 100.68 against O’Connor’s 103.93 in a high-quality encounter. After exchanging early breaks, both players showcased their skill with 11-darters. O’Connor missed a 144 checkout on double 18, which could have given him a 4-2 lead. Smith capitalized on further errors from the Irishman, eventually preventing a deciding leg with a cool 85 checkout.
Michael Smith Returns to Form with Dominant Display
In one of the afternoon’s standout performances, former World Champion Michael Smith delivered his best stage performance in a long time, defeating Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 with a 102.65 average. “The Bully Boy” started incredibly, hitting consecutive checkouts of 116, 124, and 144. While attempts at 170 and 141 failed on the final dart, and some double errors allowed Wattimena to level at 3-3, Smith quickly regained control. A 96 checkout for an 11-darter put him 4-3 up, and he capitalized on Wattimena’s mistakes with an 80 checkout to secure another break and a 5-4 lead. Smith then held his nerve, closing out the match in 13 darts, leaving Wattimena no way back.
Other Key Results from the Afternoon Session
- Krzysztof Ratajski (Poland) 6-2 Stefan Bellmont (Switzerland): The “Polish Eagle” eliminated the last remaining Swiss player, Bellmont, who struggled to keep pace after Ratajski’s strong start.
- Rob Cross (England) 6-4 Luke Woodhouse (England): Cross, “Voltage,” took an early 3-0 lead. Woodhouse staged a spirited comeback, winning three consecutive legs (14, 12, and 15 darts), but Cross held firm to secure his place in the Last 16.
- Bradley Brooks (England) 6-4 Chris Dobey (England): Brooks reached the Last 16 of a European Tour event for the first time in his ninth attempt. This match was marred by a “double-drama,” with Dobey missing an astonishing 28 darts at a double throughout the game, allowing Brooks to capitalize and secure the win.
- Cristo Reyes (Spain) 6-4 Ryan Searle (England): Reyes fought back from a deficit, turning the tide with a crucial 120 checkout to make it 3-4. He then capitalized on Searle’s five missed doubles in the next leg and three more in the decider, finishing with a 76 checkout to advance and move closer to European Championship qualification.
Swiss Darts Trophy 2026: Session Overview & Prize Money
Afternoon Session Results – Saturday, October 10, 2026
Here are the detailed results from the second round afternoon session:
- Krzysztof Ratajski (16) 6-2 Stefan Bellmont (Averages: 89.70 – 83.77)
- Wessel Nijman (11) 4-6 Karel Sedlacek (Averages: 97.71 – 91.48)
- Luke Woodhouse (14) 4-6 Rob Cross (Averages: 97.36 – 97.81)
- Martin Schindler (15) 4-6 Tom Bissell (Averages: 91.22 – 95.77)
- Ryan Searle (9) 4-6 Cristo Reyes (Averages: 92.51 – 89.37)
- Ross Smith (12) 6-4 William O’Connor (Averages: 100.68 – 103.93)
- Chris Dobey (10) 4-6 Bradley Brooks (Averages: 83.68 – 85.24)
- Jermaine Wattimena (13) 4-6 Michael Smith (Averages: 93.68 – 102.65)
Evening Session Matches – Saturday, October 10, 2026 (Starting 7:00 PM CEST)
The second round continues with these exciting matchups:
- Josh Rock (6) vs. Dave Chisnall
- Stephen Bunting (7) vs. Jeffrey de Graaf
- James Wade (4) vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Jonny Clayton (3) vs. Maik Kuivenhoven
- Michael van Gerwen (5) vs. Mensur Suljovic
- Luke Humphries (1) vs. Kevin Doets
- Gian van Veen (2) vs. Niko Springer
- Danny Noppert (8) vs. Damon Heta
Tournament Prize Money Breakdown
The Swiss Darts Trophy offers a total prize fund of £230,000. Here’s how it’s distributed:
- Winner: £35,000
- Runner-Up: £15,000
- Semi-Finalists: £10,000
- Quarter-Finalists: £8,000
- Last 16: £5,000
- Second Round: £3,500
- First Round: £2,000
Important Note: For the prize money to count towards the PDC Order of Merit, European Tour Order of Merit, and Pro Tour Order of Merit, players must win their opening match. If a player loses their first game, they still receive the prize money, but it does not contribute to their ranking totals.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
