"When you've got to face the likes of Luke week in, week out, it's difficult, but I'm still a part of it": Jonny Clayton lauds current darting era amid Wieze final loss

Jonny Clayton once again showcased his class with an impressive run of wins at the Belgian Darts Open. The experienced Welshman battled past several strong opponents and ultimately reached the final, where Luke Humphries edged him out. Still, Clayton mainly took positives from his week in Belgium, with a crowd that was fully behind him.

The 51-year-old Jonny Clayton opened the Belgian Darts Open with a solid victory over Sebastian Białecki. A much sterner test awaited in the next round against Ross Smith. In a particularly tense match, Clayton edged it 6-5. Smith fought back well by taking two legs on the spin to force a decider, but Clayton kept his nerve in the finale.

In the quarterfinals, Clayton convincingly brushed aside Belgian crowd favorite Andy Baetens. Baetens had earlier impressed with wins over Joe Cullen, Stephen Bunting, and Martin Schindler, but he had no answer to a rampant Clayton. With an average just under 100 and a clear 6-1 victory, the Welshman ended the home favorite’s dream.

The semifinal against Niels Zonneveld then turned into a real thriller. Clayton seemed headed for elimination for long spells and had to survive no fewer than four match darts from the Dutchman. He eventually clawed his way back and sealed a 7-6 victory.

In the final, Clayton faced Humphries, who, like him, competes in the Premier League Darts. Humphries raced into a healthy lead, but saw Clayton rally to 7-6. Humphries ultimately pulled away to take it 8-6.

Afterwards, Clayton looked back on his performance "I thought I was going home early when I was 6-1 down," joked Clayton. "Luke gave me a few chances. I got back in the game, but he missed a lot of doubles to be fair."

The Welshman also spoke highly of his opponent in the "Luke is a great dart player, a great asset to darts, and I'm proud to be part of this era of darts with these fantastic fans."

Despite the tough opposition, Clayton remains confident in his own ability. "I'm trying my best. When you've got to face the likes of Luke week in, week out, it's difficult, but I'm still a part of it, so I'm proud of myself."

By reaching the final, Clayton once again underlined his status as one of the most consistent players on the European Tour. The next tournament on the European Tour calendar is the German Darts Grand Prix, which takes place from 04/04/2026 to 06/04/2026 in Munich.