“Who knows how far I can go” - Tyler Thorpe dreams big after 103 average seals maiden European Tour win at Slovak Darts Open

Tyler Thorpe did more than win his first match on the European Tour. The 23-year-old averaged 103.30, hit four 180s and then made clear the Bratislava stage was exactly where he wanted to be.

His 6-2 win over Karel Sedlacek at the Slovak Darts Open gave him a maiden European Tour victory in only his second appearance on the circuit. It also set up a second-round meeting with Chris Dobey, after a performance that carried far more authority than the scoreline alone.

Thorpe’s reaction after the match was built around enjoyment as much as relief. Rather than playing down the size of the stage, he leaned into what made it different.

“I’m just over the moon to be fair,” revealed Thorpe afterwards. “I love the attention, the crowd, all the noise. It’s completely different to anything. If I can do it for the rest of the weekend, who knows how far I can go. Hopefully I can do it again, and again, and again, and we will see how far it goes.”

The darts backed up that confidence. Thorpe landed four maximums, averaged 103.30 and kept Sedlacek under pressure throughout, with the Czech thrower averaging 93.74 but unable to force his way into the contest.

Sedlacek’s defeat also dealt a blow to his hopes of World Matchplay qualification, adding another consequence to a match that quickly became Thorpe’s breakthrough moment on the European Tour stage.

The reward for Thorpe is immediate. Dobey, seeded seventh in Bratislava, now enters the tournament in round two and brings a far deeper record on the big stages.

For Thorpe, though, Friday’s win has already changed the tone of his weekend. He arrived at the Slovak Darts Open still chasing a first European Tour victory and left his opener with a 103 average, four 180s and another night in front of the Bratislava crowd to look forward to.