There may have been a match less than expected on Saturday night at the 2025 Dutch Darts Championship, but there was no shortage of drama. In the end, seven more players fought their way through to the last 16, whilst Mickey Mansell received a bye following Michael van Gerwen's surprise last minute withdrawal.
Due to personal issues, Van Gerwen announced on Saturday morning that he wouldn't be competing in front of his compatriots in Rosmalen. That left seven matches to be played in the evening, and among the players to take victories were the likes of Dirk van Duijvenbode, William O'Connor, Ross Smith, Niko Springer and Ricardo Pietreczko.
The stats from Josh Rock vs Ricardo Pietreczko
| Josh Rock | VS | Ricardo Pietreczko |
|---|---|---|
| 91.16 | Average (3 Darts) | 93.26 |
| 9 | 100+ Thrown | 19 |
| 8 | 140+ Thrown | 6 |
| 4 | 180 Thrown | 1 |
| 40 | Highest Checkout | 50 |
| 0 | Checkout 100+ | 0 |
| 25 | Checkout percentage | 40 |
| 4 / 16 | Checkout | 6 / 15 |
Wessel Nijman thrashes Peter Wright
Arguably the performance of the night came from Wessel Nijman. Nijman sent the home crowd into raptures at the Dutch Darts Championship with a dominant 6-1 victory over two-time world champion Peter Wright.
The Dutchman produced a composed and clinical display in Rosmalen, taking full advantage of a below-par performance from Wright, who struggled throughout and averaged just 82.63.
Nijman, showing confidence beyond his years, maintained a high standard across the match and never allowed his more experienced opponent to find any rhythm. The emphatic win sees Nijman progress to the last 16, where he will look to continue his eye-catching run in front of a partisan Dutch crowd.
Humphries shows his class with incredible comeback
Elsewhere, world number one Luke Humphries showcased his resilience and class with a thrilling comeback win over Cameron Menzies at the Dutch Darts Championship.
Menzies looked poised for a major upset as he built a 5-3 lead in Rosmalen, controlling much of the match with confident scoring and finishing. However, 'Cool Hand Luke' dug deep when it mattered most, rattling off the final three legs in succession to steal a 6-5 victory from the jaws of defeat.
The dramatic turnaround keeps Humphries' title hopes alive and reinforces his reputation for rising to the occasion under pressure.
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