Wright has had form woes as of late and changed his darts again this evening despite saying recently that his tinkering was over.
He will now sense an opportunity now that Michael van Gerwen in particular is out and sealed his opening win of the tournament in breezing past 'The Sweet Ferret' Johan Engstrom.
It wasn't a vintage display from 'Snakebite' with just a 91 average but he produced two ton plus checkouts en route including a 121 and hit 42.9% on the doubles.
Following that was the game of the day as Danny Noppert similar to the UK Open final got one over Michael Smith.
It was a 6-4 win for 'The Freeze' as he produced a 102.5 average defying a 103 average and seven 180's from 'Bully Boy' who despite the brilliant display heads home. While the Dutchman will now face Nathan Rafferty.
'The Natural' stunned Dirk van Duijvenbode who despite running onto the stage in a pumped mood left deflated as he lost out 6-3.
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He came back from 4-0 down but Rafferty made it 5-3 when it looked like he was coming back into the tie and ended it with a 61 checkout on double 20. In the end, it was a 101.7 average and four 180's for Rafferty in a superb display.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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NOPPERT FREEZES OUT SMITH! 🧊
Danny Noppert with a repeat of the UK Open final, defeating Michael Smith 6-4 in a fantastic contest with both players averaging over 102!
Up next 👉 Dirk van Duijvenbode v Nathan Rafferty
Watch 👉 bit.ly/PDCTVLive