Early Upsets at Belgian Darts Open as Smith and Van Barneveld Exit

The Belgian Darts Open in Wieze has seen the early elimination of former world champions Michael Smith and Raymond Van Barneveld. Smith lost 6-3 to Ireland's Mickey Mansell, who achieved two checkouts of over 100, including a notable 161 finish. Mansell will now face Michael van Gerwen in the next round. Van Barneveld, competing in his first European Tour event of 2026, was defeated 6-1 by Boris Krcmar, who averaged 101 and secured finishes of 116 and 121 to set up a match against reigning champion Luke Littler. Other first-round winners include Dave Chisnall, Luke Woodhouse, Ricky Evans, and Ryan Joyce. Kim Huybrechts was a standout performer, averaging 101.76 in a 6-4 win over Niko Springer, and will face Josh Rock in round two. Andy Baetens also won on home soil, beating Joe Cullen in a last-leg thriller to set up a meeting with Stephen Bunting. The tournament continues with several exciting matches, including the defending Premier League Darts champion Luke Humphries, whose title defense can be watched on Sky Sports.