Preview Saturday Night at Swiss Darts Trophy 2025 | Humphries, Rock & Wade, plus headline Jonny Clayton vs Nathan Aspinall clash

From Friday, September 26 to Sunday, September 28, the Swiss Darts Trophy 2025 is on the program at the Jakobshalle in Basel. This is the thirteenth of a total of fourteen Euro Tour tournaments and represents the last chance for a number of players to secure a spot at the World Grand Prix and European Darts Championships later in October.

The field of competitors includes 48 players and a total prize pool of £175,000 is up for grabs, with the winner alone taking home £30,000. Title holder Martin Schindler won the tournament last year after a narrow 8-7 victory over Ryan Searle.

Below we preview the final eight matches from the second round scheduled for Saturday night. The likes of James Wade, Josh Rock and Luke Humphries begin their latest quest for Euro Tour success tonight, but the headline clash belongs to a meeting between Nathan Aspinall and Jonny Clayton.
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James Wade is an established name within the PDC and has been among the absolute best for years. With his characteristic calm rhythm, rock solid finishes and experience in countless finals, he is always a dangerous opponent. Although Wade has not always won the major titles in recent seasons, he regularly manages to get far in Euro Tour tournaments. His strength lies in disrupting opponents: where others play at a fast pace, Wade remains imperturbable and forces his rivals into his game.

Ryan Joyce, on the other hand, is a player who has been steadily building his reputation in recent years. He is often seen as a "dark horse": not always in the spotlight, but capable of hurting big names. His solid scoring ability and fighting spirit make him a dangerous outsider. The question is whether he can keep the mental calm against someone like Wade, who is known to put matches over the line when it really counts.

An all-German affair, and that makes this duel immediately special. Martin Schindler has grown enormously in the last two years. His scoring ability, combined with improved mental resilience, makes him a dangerous player who is now impossible to imagine being out of the top-32. Moreover, he has gained experience in television tournaments and seems to be increasingly bringing his best game at the most important moments.

Ricardo Pietreczko is just making his big breakthrough. His creative style, cheerful appearance and ability to peak extremely high in short sets endear him to fans. Yet he still sometimes lacks consistent performance; he can throw phenomenally in one leg, only to inexplicably slump moments later.

Josh Rock is one of the most talked-about talents of recent years. With his high averages, fast pace and fearless attitude, he has captured the hearts of darts fans in a short period of time. His debut on the highest stage was impressive and he continues to develop. Rock seems unimpressed by reputations and can hurt anyone.

Jermaine Wattimena is a totally different type of player. The Dutchman is known for his lightning fast pace and fighting mentality. Although he has not always been able to maintain his best form in recent years, he still has the quality to be dangerous. When his doubles fall, he can completely overwhelm opponents with his rhythm.

This promises fireworks. Rock will try to get the upper hand with his power scoring, while Wattimena is betting on pace and pressure. If the Dutchman manages to drag Rock into his pace, he may be able to upset him, but the young Northern Irishman remains the favorite.

Luke Humphries has developed into a fixture at the top in recent years. With several Euro Tour titles under his belt and a rock-solid combination of scoring ability and cool-headed finishes, he is now one of the absolute contenders at every tournament. His calm appearance sometimes masks how sharp and driven he is at the board.

Callan Rydz is known for his explosive play. He already showed once at the World Championship that he can beat the biggest names, but has struggled lately to regain that consistent form. Still, Rydz remains dangerous precisely because he is capable of producing a string of 12-darters out of nowhere.

Humphries is a clear favorite here, given his recent stability and performance. Still, Rydz should not be underestimated. If he brings out his best game, he can put serious pressure on Humphries. This could be a match with high scores and fast legs.

A duel between two experienced players and thus perhaps the cracker of the second round. Jonny Clayton combines fun in the game with deadly efficiency. His doubles percentages are often world-class, and he always seems to be having fun at the board. When on form, he exudes an open-mindedness that makes him hard to stop.

Nathan Aspinall, on the other hand, is known as one of the greatest fighters in the world of darts. Even when behind, he continues to fight and often manages to turn matches around. His passion, emotion and ability to produce his best darts in the heat of the moment make him a crowd favorite.

This will be a battle between coolness and combativeness. Clayton will aim for his clinical finishes, while Aspinall hopes to dictate the pace and intensity. A clash that could just go to a decisive leg.

Damon Heta has now firmly established himself within the PDC. His relaxed-looking style, combined with powerful scoring, makes him a tough customer.

Raymond van Barneveld hardly needs any introduction. The Dutch legend has returned to the PDC after his retirement and still shows from time to time that he has the level to beat top players. His experience, charisma and huge track record make every match in which he appears special. The question, however, is whether he is able to maintain his top level over longer matches.

This duel breathes history as well as the future. Heta is the logical favorite, but Van Barneveld will give everything to make one more deep run. If 'Barney' manages to hit the doubles and his confidence grows, he can seriously trouble Heta.

Stephen Bunting, the former Lakeside champion, has made quite an advance in recent seasons. His calmer style and improved consistency have propelled him into the top four in the world. With his smooth throw and ability to score in solid, he can hurt any opponent.

Chris Landman is working his way up in the PDC. Although he has not had the big break yet, he has already shown that he has talent. Landman has solid technique and can be especially dangerous when he plays uninhibited, without too much pressure.

Bunting is clear favorite, but underestimation could be dangerous. If Landman quickly feels at home on the stage, he could push Bunting. Still, the experience and scoring ability of 'The Bullet' seems to be the deciding factor.

Chris Dobey has become one of the most stable players on the Pro Tour in recent years. His scoring ability and recent successes on the Euro Tour show that he is a player who is dangerous in every round. Moreover, Dobey seems increasingly confident on the big stages.

Mensur Suljovic - who was only called up for this tournament at the last minute - is one of the most unpredictable players on the circuit. His slow style, anomalous finishes and unique approach make him difficult for many opponents to play. Yet Suljovic has struggled to find his old form lately, often relying on flashes rather than consistent performances.

Dobey is the logical favorite here, given his current form and confidence. Still, Suljovic should never be completely written off; if he hits his doubles with precision, he can always surprise an opponent.