PDC European Championship: Peter Wright knocks out Michael Smith as Michael van Gerwen progresses

Michael Smith was defeated 10-4 by Peter Wright in the second round in Dortmund on Saturday, while Michael van Gerwen recorded a 10-7 victory against Ricardo Pietreczko; Next up on the Sky Sports Darts calendar is the Grand Slam of Darts from November 11-19 at Aldersley Leisure Village

Peter Wright dumped reigning world champion Michael Smith from the European Championship, while Michael van Gerwen reached the quarter-finals in Dortmund.

Four-time European champion Van Gerwen averaged 104 and defeated the feisty Ricardo Pietreczko, with a blistering mid-game burst catapulting the Dutchman to an impressive 10-7 win.

Pietreczko stunned Van Gerwen on his way to capturing the German Darts Championship title earlier this month and he made a dream start to this match after raising the roof with a brilliant 167 finish in the opening game. The 29-year-old led 3-2 at the first break, but Van Gerwen responded with a brutal five-footed barrage to seize the initiative.

Pietreczko, cheered on by a sell-out crowd in the Westfalenhalle, reduced the deficit to 6-7 at one point, before Van Gerwen followed up a checkout of 145 in leg 14 with a clinical kill of 110 to seal the deal.

Van Gerwen is chasing a fifth European Darts Championship title

“It wasn’t easy,” admitted Van Gerwen, who hit eight 180s and converted three grand-plus cash registers to continue his bid for a first European Championship success since 2017. “After the first break I came back like a new Michael van Gerwen. I got some good finishes and I scored really well, but I think there is more in the tank.”

Saturday’s double session saw eight second-round matches take place in Dortmund, with former champions Wright and James Wade joining the likes of Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals.

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Luke Humphries says in Love The Darts that winning the World Grand Prix will not guarantee him a place in the 2024 Premier League line-up

Wright continued his bid for a second European Championship crown with a resounding 10-4 victory against world champion Smith. Smith – runner-up in Dortmund 12 months ago – was left shocked as the ruthless Wright punished his opponent’s double misery by storming into an 8-0 lead.

World No. 1 Smith threatened an unlikely return with a run of four straight legs, although Wright regained his balance with legs of 14 and 13 darts to round off a fine performance.

“I didn’t feel comfortable at all,” revealed Wright, who recorded 107, 117 and 155 finishes in setting up a quarter-final match against Chris Dobey. “It’s not without reason that Michael is world champion and number 1 in the world, but he didn’t bring his game at all and I did just enough.”

Masters champion Dobey defied a late attack from Stephen Bunting to celebrate a dramatic 10-8 success, despite Bunting landing 11 maximums in defeat. Price, meanwhile, powered his way into the last eight with a resounding 10-5 victory over Nathan Aspinall, winning the last five legs without reply to knock out the World Matchplay champion.

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Michael Bridge and Mark Webster present their prizes for the 2023 World Grand Prix

Danny Noppert also played five straight legs to seal a 10-7 success against two-time European champion Rob Cross as he progressed to a third successive European Championship quarter-final.

World Grand Prix champion Humphries maintained his bid for consecutive television titles by seeing off Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski and setting up a meeting with Wade, who defeated an out-of-control Jose de Sousa 10–1 to secure a place in his first televised quarter-final in more than 18 months.

In the other draw of the evening, Dutch youngster Gian van Veen claimed a hard-fought 10-6 victory over Daryl Gurney and set up a mouth-watering clash against his compatriot Van Gerwen.

Sunday October 29
Afternoon session
Quarterfinals
Chris Dobey vs. Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price vs. Danny Noppert
Luke Humphries vs. James Wade
Michael van Gerwen against Gian van Veen

Watch the 17th edition of the Grand Slam of Darts at Aldersley Leisure Village from November 11 to 19. Stream your favorite sports and more with NOW.