Luke Woodhouse completes Austrian Darts Open 2nd round lineup to finish off enthralling opening day in Graz

Luke Woodhouse has completed the second round lineup at the 2025 Austrian Darts Open in Graz. Woodhouse defeated Nathan Rafferty in a nail biting last leg decider 6-5 to finish off an enthralling opening day of action on the latest stop of the always exciting European Tour.

Woodhouse's win follows victories for the likes of Jermaine Wattimena, Kevin Doets, Wessel Nijman and Niko Springer in the Friday evening session. It was the wins of Dirk van Duijvenbode, Karel Sedlacek and home crowd hero Mensur Suljovic that stood out in particular however.

Van Duijvenbode delivered a thoroughly dominant and highly impressive performance on Thursday evening in Graz, as he comfortably overcame Hungary’s Gyorgy Jehirszki in their first-round clash. Despite dropping the opening leg of the match, the Dutchman quickly found his rhythm and took complete control of proceedings. Van Duijvenbode responded in style, showcasing his scoring power and clinical finishing. He rattled off six consecutive legs without reply, underlining his superiority on the night.

Throughout the match, Van Duijvenbode maintained an exceptional standard, averaging over 106 - a figure that highlights just how well he was playing. One of the standout moments of the tie came when he produced a superb 132 checkout, further emphasising his dominance and confidence on the oche. In the end, it was a comprehensive 6-1 victory for Van Duijvenbode, who moves into the next round in fine form and full of confidence.

The first real upset of the evening session in Graz came courtesy of a superb performance from Karel Sedlacek, who dismantled an out-of-sorts Raymond van Barneveld in convincing fashion.

The experienced Czech looked focused from the outset and took full advantage of a below-par display from the five-time world champion. Sedlacek consistently outscored his more decorated opponent, averaging nine points more than Van Barneveld over the course of the match, which proved key in his comfortable 6-2 victory.

Van Barneveld, who had shown glimpses of strong form in recent months, was unable to find any real rhythm during the contest. He struggled to match Sedlacek’s scoring power and intensity, though he did manage one bright moment — a superb 148 checkout — to get a leg on the board and briefly reduce the deficit.

However, Sedlacek stayed composed and in control, closing out the match without any major scares to seal his spot in the next round. It was a disappointing evening for Van Barneveld, while Sedlacek walked away with one of the biggest scalps of the night.

Mensur Suljovic was, as ever, absolutely adored by the passionate Austrian crowd in Graz, and the former major winner more than lived up to the expectations placed on him during the early stages of his first-round match.

Roared on by a partisan home crowd, Suljovic made a blistering start, racing into a commanding 5-0 lead and barely putting a foot wrong. His scoring was solid, his finishing clinical, and he looked every bit in control as he moved within a leg of victory.

However, Ritchie Edhouse — now a major winner himself and no stranger to the big stage — showed real resilience to claw his way back into the contest. He responded with three straight legs to close the gap to 5-3, giving himself a glimmer of hope and briefly silencing the local support.

That was as far as the comeback went, though. Suljovic regrouped and held his nerve, eventually sealing a 6-3 victory to the delight of the Graz faithful. It was a composed and professional performance from the Austrian, who moved into the next round with momentum and the crowd firmly behind him.