Van Gerwen survives scare at European Championship

Wessel Nijman defeated fellow Dutchman 6-5 in the opening round of the European Championship, but Michael van Gerwen survived the scare.

In the 11th leg, Nijman failed to score seven match darts before Van Gerwen’s punishment was a 70 in a 21-dart match in Germany.

“From the final leg,” Van Gerwen remarked, “It was a really good match.”

“Wessel was good at first, but he eventually showed some nerves.”

“It was a difficult game, but I prevailed.” It’s going to be difficult when you put yourself in that position, especially when you should have defeated him 6-4.

Van Gerwen, a three-time world champion, made the announcement in May that he and his wife, who he has two children, were divorcing and would miss the Players Championship Finals to focus on his family.

He went 4-2 up on the sixth leg of the match against Nijman, but two 14-dart legs brought him level. He also missed two darts at a double.

As world number three Van Gerwen went 5-4 up, Nijman, who is 36th overall, missed two doubles in the ninth leg.

In the following match, Van Gerwen failed to take three match darts, with Nijman putting up a decider by leveling 5-5 with a score of 5-5.

Van Gerwen, who wanted to win a record-equal fifth European Championship title, took advantage of Nijman’s lack of chances to win.

Chris Dobey defeated Stephen Bunting 6-3 in the final match of Thursday’s match, and Van Gerwen will face him next.

Daryl Gurney, from Northern Ireland, defeated Welshman Gerwyn Price.

In a fiery fight between the pair in Blackpool in July, Gurney won 6-3 while Price was the winner that time.

Jonny Clayton, Price’s compatriot, was also let down by England’s Ryan Searle, who suffered a 6-3 defeat.

Both Ross Smith and Peter Wright faced off in the first round, both of whom were previous champions.

Smith, the 2020 and 2023 champion, defeated his Scottish rival, Smith, who won in 2022, 6-2 to claim the victory.

Gian van Veen, the reigning world youth champion, defeated Damon Heta from Australia with a 6-3 victory.

After going 3-0-to-3-3 to England’s Dave Chisnall, home favorite Martin Schindler fought back to earn a dramatic 6-5 victory with double top.

Luke Littler, the second-ranked teen, will face Raymond van Barneveld, who is currently the second-ranked teen, on Friday. Luke Humphries will take on Krzystof Ratajski, the other player.