In a thrilling first round match in Budapest, Jonny Clayton surprised world number two Michael Smith with a stellar performance, hitting four maximums and converting six out of his 11 attempts at double to secure a 6-3 victory. The Welshman’s reward for this impressive win is a second round clash against reigning champion Dave Chisnall, who is aiming for back-to-back European Tour titles after his recent triumph in the Flanders Darts Trophy.
Another player who advanced to the next round is Nathan Aspinall, who defeated Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3, with three of those legs coming in the final four to seal the win. Aspinall, who has been sidelined with an elbow injury for the past two months, made a successful return to action on the PDC ProTour earlier in the week and continued his comeback with a solid showing at the MVM Dome.
“I just needed to get a win,” confessed Aspinall, currently ranked number six in the world. “I’ve not won a game of darts for two months because I’ve not been playing, so to get a win on my return to the European Tour can only give me confidence. I’m going to take a lot of positives from tonight and hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow against Danny.”
Peter Wright also had a notable win on the first day of competition in Budapest, finishing off Joe Cullen with back-to-back 12-darters in a 6-5 victory. Cullen, participating in his 100th European Tour event, faced a tough challenge from the flamboyant Wright.
Raymond van Barneveld put an end to Ritchie Edhouse’s flawless record in first round matches on the European Tour in 2024, winning 6-3 to enhance his chances of qualifying for the European Championship. The Dutch darts legend displayed his experience and skill to overcome Edhouse.
In another exciting match, Gabriel Clemens secured a spot in the next round where he will meet World Champion Luke Humphries, after defeating Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1. Clemens produced one of the standout performances of the day with his commanding victory over the Dutchman.
