DISCUSSION Austrian Darts Open 2026 | Josh Rock shines but does Suljovic have a point as top stars skip European Tour for exhibitions?

The Austrian Darts Open took place this past weekend with Josh Rock scooping top honours defeating Kevin Doets in the final to add his first European Tour in some time.

One of only two Premier League players though in attendance, it does raise huge debate about the lack of participation from the sport's so-called big boys in a bit of a full circle after complaints before about playing too much.

But it also went into the spotlight further after Mensur Suljovic decided to hit out not only at the top players skipping European Tours but also ProTours in their own country. This too inflamed by Littler, Humphries, Aspinall and Price all playing all weekend in non ranking exhibitions. So what is the right answer to it all?

Also though it does give the likes of Rob Cross, Doets, Rock and even Cristo Reyes who all shone this weekend that chance to play themselves into form and steal the ranking spotlight.

Josh Rock winning the title for me is a great story especially after his Premier League travails where he struggled to win games for a long time and sometimes that has a knock on effect when it comes to form in other events.

But he has banished those demons and showed there is still absolute quality there. Also Kevin Doets and Cristo Reyes having stand out runs was a big source of delight as both have shown this year that they are very much two men in form. For Doets in particular after winning a ProTour to nearly go two in a week is superb.

But the main talking point for me is those missing. It doesn't sit right with me, and the same goes on social media for others that players are continually complaining about the calendar and travelling, then taking exhibitions in the UK, which, although likely to garner a big paycheck, are a bit of a slap in the face.

Especially on the European Tour where the top names are given a comfort blanket under the guise that they are the names people come for but in reality Littler and Humphries in particular have barely played on the European Tour all year, Littler doesn't play in German speaking countries and while some are genuinely having just a weekend off, Gerwyn Price who complained about illness turned up at multiple exhibitions over the weekend.

So Mensur Suljovic making the point he did to DartsNews about action being needed was kind of ironic as they were then all pictured at exhibitions the same night. The PDC needs to get a handle on this situation, really, as they can say people want this, people want that but it only flies if there is a system like tennis where these events are mandatory for a certain number as otherwise while it helps the lower ranked stars accrue money, there was no point in changing the system if most of the big names don't play anyway.

Armageddon is a big deal on the exhibition calendar and sells out well in advance, but the problem is that there is almost an expectation now that they will withdraw and won't bother playing. The same can even be said for the Leicester ProTours next week, with most of the big names again not involved, and it just is a bit embarrassing, not for the players but for the PDC in giving them protection to not even play in the end anyway, and to play events not even on their calendar.

A sixth Euro Tour done and dusted in 2026, and a sixth different winner. Josh Rock adds his name to the list of title holders in this year with a fine showing all over the weekend. As many of the pro’s do, he timed his peak to perfection. Averaging over a ton in both his semi-final and final, ‘Rocky’ marvelled on the stage. He may be struggling for form in the Premier League, but do not rule this man out in anything. He will be challenging for more of these titles and the major tournaments coming up at the end of the year.

On the contrary, what a week it has been for Doets! Heavily touted to break his title duct, he has done in Milton Keynes before almost going one better on the Euro Tour. He had been teasing these sorts of performances, putting in ginormous averages occasionally while regularly popping up late in these competitions. It feels sooner rather than later he will be instated as a top 32 player, and that feels like a minor triumph. He commented after the defeat in the final that he wanted to regularly compete in the Premier League and the biggest tournaments darts has to offer. He keeps playing the way he is, then that dream could become reality very soon.

It was a crucial weekend in the race for the World Matchplay. Rob Cross’s run to the semi-finals leaves him in a more favourable position than he once was in, but still not ideal. Andrew Gilding was another player to benefit with a quarterfinal showing in Graz. Damon Heta’s poor form sees him on the cusp of dropping out. Ryan Joyce could also be sleep-walking away from a return to Blackpool. The likes of Dave Chisnall, Michael Smith and Cameron Menzies will be thinking of a missed opportunity this weekend. Still though, no panic should set in. One deep run on the ProTour and they will be back in the hunt with just under two months of darting action until the cut-off.

A word for Cristo Reyes would be very suitable. If you did not know ‘The Spartan’ before his highly anticipated return to darts, you do now. That nine-darter was an immense moment for him as he took down Heta in the second round. He rolled back the years with a first Euro Tour quarterfinal since the 2017 Austrian Darts Open coincidentally. £18,000 off a spot for the World Matchplay, that feels like a fleeting dream at this point in time. The focus with the Spaniard should be long terms. He has shown his quality on the oche and will continue to rise and rise up the rankings, surely set to be a regular in these big TV events. A massive win for Spanish darts in the process.

What a week it has been for Kevin Doets. A few weeks ago, he stated in an interview that he would not be satisfied if he failed to win a PDC title in 2026. At the time, that sounded incredibly demanding on himself, but Doets has certainly backed up his ambitions.

After capturing his first PDC ranking title earlier this week, he also came agonisingly close to claiming his maiden European Tour crown. Following a thrilling final, however, it was Josh Rock who walked away with the title, a triumph the Northern Irishman could honestly use himself after a difficult spell.

I also found myself agreeing with the comments made by Mensur Suljović. The Austrian was critical of the PDC because too many players from the world’s top 16 continue to skip European Tour events. With Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, Gary Anderson and Nathan Aspinall all absent, seven players from the top 14 of the PDC Order of Merit were missing from the event. Perhaps the PDC should consider making it mandatory for players to compete in a minimum number of European Tour tournaments each season.

Similar rules already exist in other sports such as tennis, where players are required to compete in at least eight of the nine Masters events, tournaments that sit just below the Grand Slams and are comparable to the PDC majors. It is one thing for the elite names to skip floor events, but the fact that the sport’s biggest stars are increasingly bypassing European Tour tournaments will surely be a growing concern for the PDC.

With the Austrian Darts Open now concluded, the sixth European Tour event of the year is already behind us. Many top players skipped the tournament in Graz and, partly because of that, we crowned a sixth different winner on the European Tour this season.

Josh Rock came out on top in the final against Kevin Doets, and that victory will undoubtedly do Rock a world of good. “Rocky” has endured a particularly difficult debut season in the Premier League Darts, where he currently sits rooted to the bottom of the table. That certainly will not have helped his confidence, but this title allows him to look ahead positively to an important period coming up. Next month, Rock will defend his World Cup of Darts title alongside Daryl Gurney. A month later, he will also be hoping to shine at the World Matchplay.

For Doets, it was just short of glory in the final, but the Dutchman can look back on a fantastic week. On Monday, he claimed his first PDC ranking title by winning Players Championship 13. He carried that superb form seamlessly into Graz, where he also reached his first European Tour final. A title on that circuit seems only a matter of time if the 28-year-old Dutchman continues performing at this level.

Another standout performer was Cristo Reyes. The Spaniard, who regained his PDC Tour Card at the start of this year after several years away, showed with victories over players such as Damon Heta and Danny Noppert that he is an unseeded player no top name will want to face in the draw. It will be interesting to see whether Reyes can produce even more fireworks in the coming weeks, perhaps even claiming a Players Championship title.

Another fantastic European Tour tournament has come to an end. Even without many of the biggest stars, the event still delivered plenty of excitement. The winner is Josh Rock, who finally managed to show his full class and may now be able to leave his Premier League disappointment behind him. Even though he started the tournament slowly, he displayed his incredible quality especially towards the end and will be hoping to carry that form through the rest of the year.

Among the other big winners was Kevin Doets, who is currently one of the best-performing players on the circuit. His scoring, composure under pressure and finishing are simply outstanding, and he is incredibly entertaining to watch. Daryl Gurney and Rob Cross also finally reached another semi-final again. Both benefited from the withdrawals and managed to keep their hopes for qualification to the big tournaments alive.

From a German perspective, it was a successful weekend for Martin Schindler and Niko Springer. Schindler played well, but in the end he lacked a bit of killer instinct against Gurney. Still, his form is clearly heading in the right direction. The same can be said for Springer. He still seems to struggle with the pressure of being the favourite, but whenever he is not expected to win — like against Wessel Nijman — he sometimes produces darts from another planet.

Franz Engerer also did a very good job. He was visibly nervous at the start, understandably so as it was his first time as Master of Ceremonies, but overall he performed brilliantly. He is definitely someone who should get more opportunities in the future, not only at PDC Europe events.

Without a doubt, the losers of the weekend included Ricardo Pietreczko, Raymond van Barneveld and Dave Chisnall, all of whom performed below their usual level and missed out on important prize money.

Another European Tour event is in the books — and with it, a brand-new venue for the PDC and the sport’s biggest stars. And it is fair to say: the Stadthalle Graz delivered an impressive debut.

That is despite the atmosphere perhaps not being the defining factor people will remember from the Austrian Darts Open 2026 weekend — something that was partly down to the venue layout itself. Since the hall is divided through the middle by large pillars, the entire setup — including the stage and audience — had to be shifted to one side, while the opposite side remained empty and was instead used for food and beverage sales.

The result was a spacious and relaxed layout that made the on-site experience extremely comfortable. That impression was also reflected in the players’ opinions: plenty of room, an excellent player area, and overall a very high-class venue — even if it will probably not become known for the traditional cauldron-like atmosphere often associated with European Tour events.

Now, onto the sporting side of things. This weekend — both through his performances on stage and from speaking to him directly — I got the feeling that a comeback may be on the horizon: Rob Cross. “Voltage” appeared relaxed and composed in Graz, spoke about how fortunate he feels to make a living from darts, and explained how much hard work he is currently putting into his game.

No worries, no complaints, no frustrations about rankings or qualifications — Rob Cross seemed completely focused on himself and his darts. I had the chance to speak with him about his new equipment and his flight-and-shaft setup, and it was fascinating to hear him explain the advantages the changes have given him, as well as how he has mentally flipped a switch after realising he would not improve by continuing in the same way as before. Quite simply, it was refreshing to see the 2018 World Champion like this again — and he backed it up on the sporting side too with a run to the semi-finals, which certainly should not go unnoticed.

To conclude, I would like to highlight three more names. First, Kevin Doets, whom I expected to win the title. Is there currently any player radiating more freedom, joy, and hunger for success? I do not think so. Then there is Josh Rock: a thoroughly deserving champion who is visibly building form ahead of defending his PDC World Cup of Darts title alongside Daryl Gurney in Frankfurt, while also making it clear that the Premier League has not had the damaging effect on his career that we have seen with some players in the past.

And finally: Cristo Reyes. It should almost be illegal to disappear for six years and then somehow come back even better than before. Whenever I see Cristo on stage and hear his walk-on music, it gives me a feeling of the old days. Somehow, it simply feels right to see “The Spartan” producing moments of brilliance on stage again. And that is exactly what he did in Graz — performances defined, at times, by literal perfection.