15-year-old Kaya Baysal turns heads on WDF circuit with 109 average in Romania

Where darts was once seen as a sport dominated by older players, the sport’s next wave is now arriving with real substance rather than novelty. One of the clearest examples of that came last weekend in Romania, where 15-year-old Kaya Baysal produced a performance that stood out even on a WDF circuit increasingly accustomed to young talent.

At the Romanian Darts Festival in Bucharest, the English teenager caught the eye during the Romanian Open by dismantling compatriot Alex Gurr 4-0 in the last 64. The result itself was emphatic enough, but it was the numbers behind it that raised eyebrows, with Baysal averaging 109.31, a figure that remains exceptional at senior WDF level regardless of age.

Crucially, this was not a one off. Baysal has been regarded as a standout prospect for some time and already has tangible senior achievements to his name. Last year, he became the youngest winner of a senior WDF ranking event, claiming victory at both the Riga Open and the Budapest Classic in the same season. Those results underlined his ability to compete, and win, against adult opposition.

Those wins placed him firmly into the WDF record books, not as a curiosity, but as a competitor capable of delivering across multiple events and environments. His progress has been steady rather than sudden, built on consistent results rather than a single standout performance.

The Romanian Open run did eventually come to an end in the last 32, where Baysal was beaten 4-2 by Hungary’s Zsolt Csajbok. Even so, the weekend served as another marker of where his game already is, rather than where it might one day be.

At 15, producing triple digit averages in senior competition remains a rarity, particularly outside televised environments or short format exhibitions. On the WDF circuit, where conditions and formats can be less forgiving, that level of scoring carries added weight.

Elsewhere in darts, youth stories are becoming increasingly common. Luke Littler’s rapid rise and world titles have inevitably shifted perceptions of what is possible at a young age, while players such as Mitchell Lawrie have also pushed deep into major WDF events, including reaching the WDF World Championship final late last year.

But Baysal’s emergence does not rely on comparison. His results already stand independently, rooted in tournament wins, rankings points and performances that translate across events rather than isolated moments.

Attention now turns quickly to Assen, where the Dutch Open begins in just over a week’s time. As one of the flagship events on the WDF calendar, it offers another opportunity for Baysal to measure himself against a deep senior field and to continue building a record that is increasingly difficult to ignore.

At this stage, the focus no longer needs to be on labels or projections. Baysal’s body of work is already doing that job for him.