Renowned Dutch darts player Van Barneveld has had numerous epic battles with a Taylor over the course of his prestigious career, with Phil Taylor often being the opponent of choice. However, this time around, he could only watch as a motivated Dom advanced to face top seed Dave Chisnall at Halle 39 in Hildesheim.
Bristol’s Taylor quickly took control of the match, jumping to a 3-0 lead by finishing off legs with scores of 82, 150, and 76. He continued his dominance by extending his lead to 5-1 after throwing legs of 14 and 13 darts, only having missed a single dart at a double earlier in the match, at the bull for a 170 finish.
Van Barneveld fought back with a brilliant 161 checkout to keep his chances alive, but Taylor retaliated. Despite missing an opportunity to complete a 164 checkout, Taylor returned to hit double eight and secure victory with a clinical performance.
“I’m happy with that,” said the elated 26-year-old. “I always seem to play better when it’s [players with] the legendary status or the higher-ranked player – I must just love the pressure.”
Elsewhere, former World Champion Wright displayed his class by executing finishes of 100, 116, 120, and 105 on his way to a 6-4 victory over promising German player Niko Springer. Springer, however, showcased his talent by pulling off a remarkable 128 checkout in the ninth leg of what was a high-quality contest.
Clayton emerged triumphant in a tightly contested 6-5 encounter with Martin Lukeman, setting up a showdown with Ryan Searle in the next round. Wade also secured a place in the second round by defeating Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3, booking a meeting with the legendary Michael van Gerwen.
Wade got off to a strong start, establishing a 3-0 lead early in the match, with legs of 14, 12, and 14 darts proving to be enough to withstand the Dutchman’s comeback attempts.
Former World Youth Champion Max Hopp made a successful return to the European Tour, dispatching Jose de Sousa 6-2. The popular German player impressed with an 11-dart leg and a spectacular 144 finish in his first major-stage appearance in over two years.
In another exciting match, Dylan Slevin held off a resurgent Steve Beaton, who clawed his way back from a 3-0 deficit, to secure a 6-4 win over the seasoned veteran. Beaton, who is set to retire at the end of 2024, was bidding farewell to the European Tour in his final event.
