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It appears that each and every time a European Tour event comes around Michael van Gerwen has reigned victorious there on multiple occasions. He’s a four-time European Darts Open champion and the Dutchman will be attempting to secure successive titles in Leverkusen.
Two of those successes came at the Maritim Hotel in Dusseldorf before the European Tour outgrew that venue, and three-time world champion Van Gerwen denied Peter Wright 8-7 in Leverkusen at the first event to see the semi-final and final formats extended.
Leverkusen has also proved a prosperous stomping ground for Rob Cross, with the reigning European champion posting five ton-plus averages on his way to the final there three years ago.
Gerwyn Price returns to the European Tour after withdrawing from Munich and Austria in the hope of recovering his form of yesteryear after injury woes, while Peter Wright and James Wade are also amongst the leading contenders in western Germany.
QUARTER ONE
Gerwyn Price returns to his promised land at long last in the hope of regaining his world number one tag. Having withdrawn from Munich and Graz, the Welshman has won each of his most recent three European Tour events and is therefore enjoying a 15-match unbeaten streak.
Price could leapfrog current world number one Peter Wright this weekend depending on their respective results, with the struggling Mickey Mansell or Luke Woodhouse up first for him, before a tougher test against recent Austrian Darts Open semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall or Karel Sedlacek.
Former world champion Price has beaten Aspinall in the semi-finals during both of his most recent European Tour triumphs, although Sedlacek has utilised the continental circuit to perfection since losing his professional tour card and has already managed to reach the latter stages once so far this season.
Luke Humphries scooped his maiden European Tour accolade last month and the eighth seed will be a sizeable favourite to brush aside both Luc Peters and Darren Penhall, while ninth seed Brendan Dolan hasn’t managed a single victory on this year’s European Tour and could have a tough task on his hands.
Dolan reached the quarter-finals of both of last year’s tournaments and it’s been a dramatic change of events for the Northern Irishman. Having already been defeated by Martin Schindler and Niko Springer this year, he could have the German crowd against him once again in Leverkusen.
German qualifier Lukas Wenig would have to overcome an Andrew Gilding enjoying something of a renaissance since regaining his professional status. A recent Players Championship runner-up, Gilding makes his first European Tour appearance in three years, averaging almost 96 for the season.
Prediction: Price beats Humphries in the quarter-finals
QUARTER TWO
Jonny Clayton locking horns with Michael van Gerwen has become one of the most watchable matches on planet darts and they could renew rivalries in the third round. Whilst Clayton should see off either Rowby-John Rodriguez or Nico Kurz without too much trouble, Van Gerwen has a tougher task on his hands.
Daryl Gurney has prevailed in three of his last five meetings with the three-time world champion. Should the Northern Irishman deal with compatriot Kevin Burness in his opener, he will prove a considerable threat to last weekend’s champion, who hasn’t lost his opening match in a European Tour event in almost three years.
Joe Cullen’s record isn’t quite that remarkable, although the Masters champion has only lost his opener three times in as many years. Cullen could encounter good friend Devon Petersen, should the African number one avoid a banana skin in the dangerous debutant Kevin Doets. Cullen and Doets have encountered one another twice this season, with both matches being high-quality affairs seeing both averaging in excess of the 95 mark.
Stephen Bunting managed to pave his way through to the semi-finals last weekend despite not getting out of second gear. You’d expect him to brush aside Maik Kuivenhoven, although Dirk van Duijvenbode has returned to form in recent weeks and the Dutchman hasn’t lost his opening match on the European Tour this year.
Prediction: Clayton beats Van Duijvenbode in the quarter-finals
QUARTER THREE
Josh Rock took to the European Tour stage like a duck to water when making his anticipated debut last weekend. The 20-year-old eventually bowed out against Rob Cross, although he posted a ton-plus average in his opener – a debut performance that his first round opponent Connor Scutt will be vying to emulate this weekend.
Whoever comes through that intriguing contest meets former Gibraltar Darts Trophy champion Krzysztof Ratajski, whose form is currently difficult to determine. The Pole posted a 101 average in his opener last weekend, although his consistency of yesteryear has faded somewhat.
Peter Wright has suffered successive second round defeats and the reigning world champion remains without a European Tour accolade in five years. The Scotsman seemingly has a target on his back, and he has a tricky opener once again in Challenge Tour leader Scott Williams or Adam Gawlas.
Wright could potentially encounter his former lodger Dimitri Van den Bergh in the quarter-finals in a repeat of the World Matchplay final, should the Belgian come through his opener against Cameron Menzies or Ian White. Menzies has reached the final day twice in six attempts.
Rob Cross could await whoever prevails, although the reigning European champion could have the German crowd firmly against him when facing German Darts Grand Prix semi-finalist Martin Schindler. Schindler’s opponent in Ritchie Edhouse, meanwhile, has won his last six first round matches on the European Tour.
Prediction: Van den Bergh beats Rock in the quarter-finals
QUARTER FOUR
Jose de Sousa’s only victory on the European Tour this season came in a scrappy affair against Kim Huybrechts. His form has evaded him, and recent Munich runner-up Martin Lukeman will fancy his chances of beating both Dennis Nilsson and the Portuguese sensation and reaching the final day for a third time this year.
James Wade awaits either Jermaine Wattimena and Berry van Peer who contest an all-Dutch contest, with Wattimena without a victory in six games on the European Tour, and you sense World Championship semi-finalist Wade could have a favourable path to the latter stages.
UK Open semi-finalist Keane Barry has been defeated only once in his four first round matches. The Irish teenager faces Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk, with him a sizeable favourite to arrange a fascinating second round meeting with Ryan Searle, who has blown hot and cold this season.
Australian Damon Heta will be attempting to bounce back from a disappointing defeat last weekend. He needs to start translating his red-hot form into more titles, and his Leverkusen campaign commences with a tricky encounter against home favourite Gabriel Clemens or Dave Chisnall.
Only Michael van Gerwen has a higher rolling average than German Darts Grand Prix semi-finalist Heta this season. He has been denied by some exceptional performances, but the two-time ranking event winner has become one of the world’s elite this year and surely more titles are around the corner.
Prediction: Heta beats Wade in the quarter-finals
Overall: Clayton beats Heta in the final
