The ELTEN Safety Shoes German Darts Grand Prix at Munich’s Zenith was full of Easter surprises this Sunday. Niko Springer was the man who provided arguably the biggest of them all. The “Meenzer Bub” knocked the four-time Munich champion and defending titleholder Michael van Gerwen out of the tournament, giving German fans the best Easter present of the weekend. It was a Sunday defined by drama, last-leg deciders, and numerous upsets.
Springer Topples the Record Champion
It was arguably the most anticipated match of the evening. Michael van Gerwen, a four-time German Darts Grand Prix winner, defending champion, and a man who has seemed nearly invincible in Munich for years, faced Niko Springer.
What followed was far from a contest of equals. Springer simply gave van Gerwen no chance. With a dominant performance, the German won 6-1, sending the four-time Munich champion into an early Easter holiday. For van Gerwen – who sent the crowd into ecstasy with a 9-darter in Munich last year before beating Gian van Veen 8-5 in the final – it was another early exit on German soil. The Dutchman had already suffered a first-round exit in Göttingen recently. Niko Springer will now face Michael Smith in the Round of 16.
A Sunday Full of Deciders
Beyond the Springer moment, this Sunday was characterized by drama that persisted through both sessions. In the afternoon session alone, five consecutive matches were decided in the final leg. In total, eight deciders kept the spectators on the edge of their seats throughout the day.
O’Connor Knocks Out the Top Seed
The second major surprise of the evening was delivered by William O’Connor. The Irishman ousted the number 1 seed Gian van Veen with a 6-2 victory. Van Veen, who reached the final in Munich last year, makes a surprisingly early exit.
Huybrechts Breaks the Average Curse
Many players struggled to find their rhythm over the Easter days. It took 24 matches before Kim Huybrechts became the first player to break the 100-average mark. The Belgian, who had already caused a stir in Wieze last weekend, defeated Luke Woodhouse 6-1.
Wade’s 100th Tournament
James Wade reached a historic milestone: At the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich, “The Machine” played his 100th tournament on the PDC European Tour, joining an exclusive club. However, the anniversary was not crowned with success, as he suffered a 5-6 defeat against Kevin Doets.
All Results from Sunday
Ross Smith 6-2 Patrik Kovacs
Jermaine Wattimena 1-6 Niels Zonneveld
Damon Heta 2-6 Karel Sedlacek
Daryl Gurney 5-6 Andrew Gilding
Ryan Searle 5-6 Krzysztof Ratajski
Danny Noppert 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse
Mike De Decker 5-6 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dave Chisnall 5-6 Michael Smith
Luke Woodhouse 1-6 Kim Huybrechts
Josh Rock 6-4 Ryan Joyce
James Wade 5-6 Kevin Doets
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Marcel Hausotter
Michael van Gerwen 1-6 Niko Springer
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Ricardo Pietreczko
Martin Schindler 6-4 Brendan Dolan
Gian van Veen 2-6 William O’Connor
Outlook for Monday
The Round of 16 kicks off on Monday starting at 1:00 PM. Among the highlights, Niko Springer will face Michael Smith, while Martin Schindler takes on Nathan Aspinall. From 7:00 PM onwards, the title will be decided through the Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and the Final. Will one of the two local heroes manage to bring the German Darts Grand Prix trophy home to Germany for the first time in history?
