07/07/2023

Multiple records broken at European Darts Matchplay

The PDC's statistics analyst, Christopher Kemp, did an analysis on the European Darts Matchplay, which was played last weekend. From this analysis, it turns out that the tournament in Trier was perhaps the best European Tour event ever.

The level at the European Darts Matchplay was very high with many 100+ averages and good finishing percentages. The combined tournament average (94.77) was the highest ever seen on the Euro Tour. The tournament average in Trier was even higher than that of a number of major tournaments, including the 2018 World Matchplay and the 2008 Premier League. The combined average of all losers (92.51), was also higher than ever before and was itself higher than the overall tournament average of 71% of Euro Tour tournaments.

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With 0.645 140-scores per leg, the record for the number of 140-scores at an individual European Tour tournament was also surpassed. In addition, 68 legs were won in Trier with 12 arrows or less and 22.9% of all check-outs were thrown with the least number of possible arrows. These figures were also unprecedented on the Euro Tour.

Gian van Veen, who reached the quarterfinals, threw the highest average seen on the Euro Tour in the last 5 years. With an average of 114.15, the 21-year-old Dutchman won 6-0 over Damon Heta. Heta himself threw 103.96 average in that match, which was the second highest losing average on the Euro Tour ever. The match between van Veen and Heta is 1 of four matches on the Euro Tour in which the combined average exceeded 105.

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James Wade, who reached the semifinals of the tournament, also managed to set another personal record, posting his highest Euro Tour averages ever in two consecutive days. This is remarkable considering the 40-year-old Englishman has been playing on the Euro Tour circuit for 12 years. Another special fact is that Wade is the only player, who in the 12-year existence of the Euro-Tour, managed to reach at least one quarterfinal every year.

The winner of the European Darts Matchplay was Luke Humphries, who took the fifth Euro Tour title of his career. This makes him only the 6th player to have five Euro Tours to his name. Other players who have already achieved this are Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price, Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith.