Swiss Darts Trophy 2026 Roundup | Michael van Gerwen dumped out as Luke Humphries narrowly avoids joining him and Jonny Clayton fires 109 average

Michael van Gerwen was knocked out of the Swiss Darts Trophy by Mensur Suljovic, while Luke Humphries survived a deciding-leg scare against Kevin Doets on Saturday evening in Basel. Defending champion Stephen Bunting also departed, James Wade paid for four missed match darts and Jonny Clayton powered into the last 16 with a 108.81 average.

Mensur Suljovic defeated Michael van Gerwen 6-4 after establishing a 5-2 lead, eventually converting his fourth match dart in a tense finish. The Austrian broke immediately with a 14-darter and followed it with a 138 checkout on double nine. Van Gerwen recovered to 2-2, but two missed darts at double 12 allowed Suljovic to regain the advantage with a 95 finish on the bull.

Suljovic held and then broke again as visits of 25 and 21 undermined Van Gerwen’s seventh leg. A missed match dart at tops for a 117 checkout gave the Dutchman a reprieve, and he took the next two legs to close within one.

Playing at a particularly deliberate pace, Suljovic moved ahead in the tenth but failed to earn a dart at double from 100. Van Gerwen missed tops for a 120 finish, and both squandered further opportunities before Suljovic finally sealed victory on double ten, averaging 91.51 against Van Gerwen’s 91.01.

Luke Humphries edged Kevin Doets 6-5 in a contest that saw both average above 100, with a costly bounce-out interrupting the Dutchman’s charge in the deciding leg.

Humphries raced into a 3-0 lead, producing 12-darters with finishes of 122 and 121 either side of a break after Doets missed five doubles. Doets responded with successive legs, including a 13-dart break following a 177 set-up shot, and later took out 121 on the bull to stay within one at 4-3.

An 11-darter moved Humphries to the brink, but he missed double 16 for a match-winning 109 checkout. Doets broke back on double nine and then finished 66 to force a decider.

Doets opened the final leg with a maximum against the throw, only to lose two darts to an unfortunate bounce-out on his next visit. Humphries regained control and took out 60 on tops, progressing with a 102.85 average against Doets’ 105.64.

James Wade lost 6-5 to Dirk van Duijvenbode despite averaging 99.72 and earning four match darts.

The opening eight legs went with throw. Van Duijvenbode celebrated a 103 checkout loudly amid apparent tension between the pair, while Wade replied with a two-dart 93 finish. The Dutchman also produced an 11-darter before Wade levelled at 4-4 and secured the first break of the match.

Throwing for victory, Wade missed the bull for an 82 finish and then squandered two darts at double ten on his return. Van Duijvenbode forced the decider on tops. Wade earned another opportunity from 70 but wired double 20. Van Duijvenbode completed a 55 checkout on the same target to win with a 93.36 average.

Jeffrey de Graaf defeated Stephen Bunting 6-4, ending the Englishman’s title defence and leaving his European Championship qualification hopes hanging by a thread.

De Graaf pulled away from 1-1 as Bunting’s early scoring deserted him. Three missed darts to level allowed the Swede to break with a 65 checkout, and he extended his lead to 4-1 before missing double 18 for a fifth leg.

Bunting took advantage, winning three consecutive legs to draw level. A 25 checkout secured the break back before tops made it 4-4. With Bunting waiting on four, De Graaf held his nerve to finish 68 for the lead. He also took the next leg, sealing victory with a 93.04 average against Bunting’s 91.67.

Jonny Clayton swept aside Maik Kuivenhoven 6-1, recording the second-highest average in the tournament’s history at 108.81. A 121 checkout on the bull helped Clayton establish a 3-0 lead before Kuivenhoven took his first opportunity with a 74 finish. The Dutchman averaged 94.33 but repeatedly found himself denied chances by Clayton’s finishing.

Clayton took out 82 on the bull for 4-1, then punished Kuivenhoven’s missed bullseye for a 170 checkout with a two-dart 67 finish. An 81 checkout on double 12 completed a closing 12-darter.

Gian van Veen dispatched Niko Springer 6-0 in just nine minutes, allowing the German only two darts at double.

Identical 107 finishes on double 16 gave Van Veen the opening two legs, and a maximum set up double 12 for 3-0. Springer then fired a 177 to leave a double, only for Van Veen to take out 164 on the bull.

Springer’s opportunities finally came in the fifth leg, but he missed tops and double ten. Van Veen punished him and closed out the match on double 16, averaging 98.02 against Springer’s 92.59.

Josh Rock came through 6-5 against Dave Chisnall, who repeatedly fought back despite averaging 86.69 to the Northern Irishman’s 94.87.

The pair exchanged early breaks before Rock eventually opened a 4-2 lead. Chisnall immediately broke back and levelled, then answered Rock’s 113 checkout for 5-4 by finding tops with his last dart to force a deciding leg.

Rock seized control with back-to-back 140s. Although he missed his first match dart at tops for a 116 finish, he returned to hit the same target and secure his place in Sunday’s action.

Damon Heta defeated Danny Noppert 6-3 after winning the opening four legs, finishing with a 94.69 average against the Dutchman’s 96.23. Heta began with six perfect darts before completing a 13-darter, then broke with a 92 checkout using two double 18s. He extended his advantage to 4-0 after Noppert missed his first two doubles of the match.

Noppert recovered to 4-2 but squandered two chances to move within one. Heta, who had left 16 with a 170 set-up shot, capitalised on double eight.

A 52 checkout kept Noppert alive, and he earned another opportunity when Heta missed the bull for a 127 finish. His attempt at double 13 went begging, however, allowing Heta to finish 25 on double eight and complete the last-16 line-up.