The 2024 European Tour season concludes with the Gambrinus Czech Darts Open (ET13) this weekend! The draw and schedule has been confirmed ahead of a decisive three days in Prague! 🇨🇿 👉 bit.ly/24ET13Draw
PREVIEW: 2024 Czech Darts Open as the PDC European Tour season comes to a conclusion in Prague
PDCThursday, 17 October 2024 at 18:30
The 2024 Czech Darts Open is set to begin
on Friday, October 18th, at the PVA EXPO Praha in Prague, Czech Republic, with
an exciting weekend of darts scheduled until Sunday, October 20th. This Czech
Darts Open marks the 13th event of the PDC European Tour, and the stakes are
high, with 48 players competing for a total prize pot of £175,000. Darts fans
will be eager to see if the event can live up to the drama of last weekend’s
unforgettable World Grand Prix final.
In a stunning turn of events, Mike De
Decker shocked the darts world by defeating World Champion Luke Humphries 6-4
in the final to win the 2024 World Grand Prix in Leicester. The 28-year-old
Belgian, who entered the tournament as an underdog, made history with a
performance that will long be remembered in darts. Now, as the dust settles
from that spectacle, all eyes are turning to Prague. Can the Czech Darts Open
deliver the same level of excitement and drama?
Defending champion Peter Wright returns
to Prague
Peter Wright, the defending champion, will
certainly hope to rekindle some of his own magic from last year. In 2023,
Wright bounced back from a challenging start to the season, particularly a
disappointing Premier League campaign, to triumph in Prague. His victory over
Dave Chisnall in the final was a significant milestone, marking his first
European Tour win since September 2022 and a clear up turn in form.
Wright’s performance in last year’s final
was a reminder of the talent the Scotsman possesses. He broke Chisnall’s throw
with a clinical 100 checkout to get off to a strong start. Despite some
resistance from Chisnall, who levelled the match at 2-2, Wright again found a
100 checkout to regain control. As the match progressed, Wright extended his
lead, hitting a 76 checkout to go 5-3 up and putting Chisnall under significant
pressure. Although Chisnall fought back, Wright’s resilience shone through,
especially in the pivotal leg when both players exchanged 180s before Wright
sealed the victory on double 10.
However, Wright’s recent form has been
inconsistent, as evidenced by his early exit from last week’s World Grand Prix.
A first-round defeat was a major disappointment for the Scotsman, and he will
be looking to make amends in Prague. Fans will be eager to see whether Wright
can reclaim the form that brought him success last year and if he can mount
another challenge for the title.
Format Changes in 2024
The 2024 Czech Darts Open also brings with
it the same changes that we’ve seen across the European tour this year. For the
first time, both the PDC Order of Merit and the PDC ProTour Order of Merit
rankings have been used to determine 32 of the 48 entrants for the event. This
new qualification system has brought more competition and a greater level of
intrigue to the European Tour this year.
The top 16 players on the PDC Order of
Merit automatically qualified for the event, along with the highest-ranked
players on the PDC ProTour Order of Merit after the PDC Order of Merit players
were removed. From these 32 players, the 16 highest-ranked on the ProTour Order
of Merit were seeded for the event, meaning they will enter the competition in
the second round. The remaining 16 places were awarded to players from various
qualifiers, adding further excitement to the early stages of the tournament.
Matches up until the quarterfinals will be
played in a best-of-11 legs format, with the semifinals increasing to a
best-of-13 legs, and the final being decided in a best-of-15 legs contest. This
change in format ensures a fast-paced, high-stakes environment from the very
beginning.
The seeded players and key contenders
The seeded players for this year’s
tournament include some of the biggest names in darts. Dave Chisnall is the
number 1 seed, and he will be looking to go one better after his runner-up
finish last year. Other top seeds include Ross Smith, World Champion Luke
Humphries, and rising star Josh Rock.
Humphries, the current World Champion,
comes into the Czech Darts Open as the bookmakers’ favourite. Despite his
defeat in last week’s World Grand Prix final, he remains a formidable force and
will be determined to bounce back in Prague. His consistency throughout the
season and his ability to perform in major tournaments make him the man to
beat.
Another player to watch closely is Mike De
Decker. After his historic victory in Leicester, the Belgian will be riding
high on confidence. De Decker’s triumph against Humphries in the World Grand
Prix final has transformed him from a relative outsider into one of the most
talked-about players in the sport. It will be fascinating to see if he can
carry this momentum into the Czech Darts Open.
Michael van Gerwen, another one of the top
seeds, will be looking to bounce back after a shock defeat last weekend. Van
Gerwen was whitewashed by Daryl Gurney in the World Grand Prix, marking the
first time in 13 years that he had been whitewashed in a televised ranking
match. This defeat will rank as one of the worst of his career, and the
three-time World Champion will undoubtedly be eager to set the record straight
in Prague.
Young sensation Luke Littler is another
name that darts fans will be keeping a close eye on. The 17-year-old prodigy
struggled in Leicester, suffering a first-round exit at the hands of Rob Cross,
but he remains one of the sport’s most exciting talents. Littler will be
looking to regain his form and make a deep run in Prague.
Last time out on the European Tour
The last leg of the European Tour took
place in September at the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel, where Martin Schindler
emerged victorious in a thrilling final. Schindler edged past Ryan Searle 7-6,
in a match that saw Searle miss seven darts to claim his first Euro Tour title.
The tension and drama in Basel set a high bar for what fans can expect in
Prague.
The Czech Darts Open is the final event of
the 2024 European Tour, with qualification for the European Championship on the
line. The top 32 players on the European Tour Order of Merit will qualify for
the prestigious event, which will be held later this month in Germany. As a
result, the stakes in Prague are higher than ever, with players battling for
the final spots in the European Championship field.
What to expect in Prague
As the 2024 Czech Darts Open gets underway,
the tournament promises to be an exciting and unpredictable event. With
defending champion Peter Wright looking to regain his form, World Champion Luke
Humphries eager to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment, and Mike De
Decker aiming to build on his historic victory, the stage is set for a
thrilling weekend of darts in Prague.
The end of the European Tour season adds an
extra layer of intrigue, with qualification for the European Championship on
the line. Will one of the top seeds rise to the occasion, or will another
underdog make headlines, just as De Decker did in Leicester? Fans won’t have to
wait long to find out as the Czech Darts Open kicks off on Friday, October
18th.
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Latest comments
- They are both legends and should be celebrated and have brought darts to where it is now. A statue should be put in Kirkcaldy for Jocky. The town has changed a lot.ListerAnderson16-10-2024
- He is a legend and should be rightfully celebrated.medinabello16-10-2024
- I would not change the format of any of the ranking events to make them double start. Grand Prix is unique and should stay that way.Mysstree15-10-2024
- Given how exciting this Grand Prix was, is there an argument that more top tournaments should have the double-start double-finish format? As a darts fan, I love to see lesser-known players excelling on the world stage and going deep into tournaments.
UndartedWaters15-10-2024 - A tremendous final and a deserving winner in The Real Deal Mike de Decker. And Luke Humphies, despite disappointment, put up a feisty resistance and showed his class in defeat. Darts is in a great place!UndartedWaters14-10-2024