Danny Noppert has booked his place in the Winmau World Masters quarterfinals without too much trouble. ‘The Freeze’ cruised past Englishman Stephen Bunting in the second round with a clear scoreline: 4-0. Noppert’s composure and his opponent’s poor doubling made the difference in a match decided quicker than expected. Defending champion Luke Humphries awaits him in the next round.
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Never in danger
This puts Noppert in the quarterfinals of the Winmau World Masters for the second year running; last year he went even one round further. Afterward, Noppert admitted to Viaplay that he was surprised by how one-sided the match was.
“I didn’t expect it to be this easy,” said the Netherlands’ number three candidly. “But Bunting missed a lot of darts at doubles. That helps, of course.”
Bunting, a former Lakeside world champion known for his scoring power, never really found his rhythm in any set. He squandered multiple chances to close out legs, and Noppert punished him without mercy. The Frisian stayed calm, hit solid checkouts, and gave his opponent hardly any room to get back into the match.
Even so, Noppert did not want to attribute the result entirely to Bunting’s shortcomings. With a smile, he added: “But that doesn’t bother me. I hope everyone does that against me.” It typifies the Frisian’s down-to-earth approach, as he appears increasingly at ease on the big stage.
Notably, Noppert seems to have built a clear psychological edge over Bunting in recent years. He reflected on that afterward as well. “I’ve beaten him on TV quite often now, so maybe that’s in his mind,” Noppert said. “Sometimes that creeps into your head, especially when things aren’t going your way.”
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Quarterfinal against the defending champion
Noppert will face defending champion Luke Humphries in the quarterfinals. The 35-year-old Dutchman, as always, backs his own game. “I feel good at the oche and my timing is spot on,” he said. “If I keep playing like this, I can make life difficult for a lot of guys.”
If Noppert wins his quarterfinal, a Dutch showdown with Gian van Veen could await in the semifinals. Van Veen meets James Wade in the quarters.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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NOPPERT WHITEWASHES BUNTING!
It's a darting demolition job from Danny Noppert, who dispatches Stephen Bunting in straight sets to confirm his place at Finals Day!
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