European Darts Grand Prix 2026 Roundup | Jonny Clayton shines, Michael van Gerwen cruises as Martin Schindler completes dramatic comeback

Jonny Clayton produced one of the performances of the night as the second round of the European Darts Grand Prix concluded on Saturday evening, with Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall also safely progressing.

The standout moment of the session came from Martin Schindler, who roared back from a slow start to edge past Damon Heta in a deciding leg and ignite the Sindelfingen crowd.

Clayton delivered the performance of the evening, averaging 106.78 in a commanding 6-1 win over Valters Melderis. The Welshman flirted with perfection during the match, hitting six perfect darts at one stage, and rarely looked troubled as he raced into the last 16 with ease.

There was also a statement display from James Wade, who rolled back the years with a 104.15 average in a 6-3 win over Kim Huybrechts. Wade’s performance was highlighted by a stunning 144 finish at a key moment, underlining his control throughout.

Van Gerwen produced a composed display to see off Michael Unterbuchner 6-2, with the Dutchman’s finishing proving the difference across a largely controlled contest. The two-time event winner was clinical early on and never allowed his opponent to build sustained pressure, booking his place in the last 16 with minimal fuss.

Price also came through a competitive encounter against Dave Chisnall, sealing a 6-4 win in a match that featured spells of high-quality scoring but was ultimately decided by missed doubles at crucial moments.

Meanwhile, Nathan Aspinall continued his strong recent form with a dominant 6-1 victory over Jeffrey de Zwaan, including a superb 170 finish that effectively ended the contest as a contest.

The most dramatic tie of the night saw Schindler recover from a sluggish start to defeat Heta 6-5 in front of a raucous home crowd.

Struggling early and averaging in the 60s, the German found a sudden spark to turn the match around, producing a sequence of heavy scoring and timely finishing to drag himself level before edging a tense decider.

The comeback sparked huge celebrations inside the Glaspalast, with Schindler feeding off the energy to complete one of the standout wins of the round.

Elsewhere, Joe Cullen punished missed opportunities from Gian van Veen to claim a 6-3 victory, while Ross Smith opened the session with a solid 6-3 win over Cameron Menzies. Both matches followed a similar pattern, with clinical finishing proving decisive in contests that were closer than the scorelines suggested.

With the second round now complete, the European Darts Grand Prix moves into the last 16 on Sunday, with the tournament’s biggest names still firmly in contention and the standard continuing to rise in Sindelfingen.