Niels Zonneveld and Kim Huybrechts are the first two surprise semi-finalists at the Czech Darts Open in Prague. They will face each other later on Sunday evening for a spot in the semifinals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zonneveld outsmarted Jonny Clayton for a spot in the last four. After a very bad first leg, Clayton took a 1-0 lead with a 29-darter, but with two 14-darters, Zonneveld took over the lead.
Two more breaks came after that, before Zonneveld managed to keep his own leg with an 86 finish to make it 4-2. Clayton closed to 4-3 with a 76 check-out, but missed two chances to make it 4-4. Zonneveld did hit the double and needed only one more leg for the win. That win came in the tenth leg after Zonneveld hit a 16-darter for a 6-4 final score.
Huybrechts dealt with Jermaine Wattimena in the second quarterfinal. The Belgian managed to come back to 4-4 after falling behind 2-4 with a 12-darter and a 56 finish. Then 'The Hurricane' took over the lead with a 64 check-out.
With three darts in hand, Wattimena led 5-5, but 'The Machine Gun' killed himself with the first dart. Huybrechts took advantage and hit double 5 to win the match.
The other side of the bracket is considerably tougher. Michael van Gerwen is competing there against Luke Littler for a spot in the semifinals, while Luke Humphries takes on Mike de Decker.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zonneveld and Huybrechts still have a chance to qualify for the European Championship. The final qualifying spot for that tournament is now in the hands of Dirk van Duijvenbode. Zonneveld needs a final spot to knock Van Duijvenbode out of the top-32 of the Euro Tour Order of Merit, while Huybrechts must then win the tournament.
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.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
ZONNEVELD KO's CLAYTON!
Niels Zonneveld continues his groundbreaking run in Prague, defeating Jonny Clayton 6-4 to reach the semi-finals and preserve his hopes of European Championship qualification!
📺 bit.ly/PDCTVLive | #ET13