Cameron Menzies put on a dazzling performance on the opening day of the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Grand Prix, while three former champions were eliminated in Sindelfingen. The fifth European Tour event of the season kicked off with a packed programme at the Glaspalast, and a radiant Menzies secured a 6-3 victory over a determined Raymond van Barneveld. The 36‑year‑old Scotsman unleashed a late surge, delivering three successive legs of 11, 13 and 13 darts, finishing with a 104.5 average and marking his fifth consecutive win against the Dutch legend.
"I felt tremendous there. I wish I could play like that all the time," Menzies said after the match, before noting his next challenge against former European champion Ross Smith in the second round. "Every time I've faced Barney I've had to dig deep, so I probably won't be on his Christmas card list this year!
I love and respect Raymond – he was a hero of mine growing up – but that was arguably my best game of the year." Van Barneveld was not the only former world champion to depart early in Sindelfingen. Both Rob Cross and Peter Wright fell to Mickey Mansell and Jeffrey de Zwaan respectively. Cross, the 2023 European Darts Grand Prix champion, was dispatched 6-2 by a clinical Mansell who posted a 100.32 average, setting up a clash with seventh seed Stephen Bunting.
De Zwaan earned a hard‑fought win over the 2017 champion Wright, earning a meeting with newly‑crowned German Darts Grand Prix winner Nathan Aspinall. Former champion Ian White also crashed out at the Glaspalast, losing 6-2 to European Darts Trophy winner Wessel Nijman, who is eyeing a fifth PDC ranking title of 2026 this weekend. In contrast, a revitalised Kim Huybrechts avoided the fate of Cross, Wright and White, dispatching Dirk van Duijvenbode to keep his hopes of a second European Darts Grand Prix crown alive.
German favourite Niko Springer will square off against defending champion Gary Anderson in one of Saturday's marquee fixtures after opening his campaign with a 6-1 demolition of newcomer Robin Masino. Home‑grown Michael Unterbuchner also shone, hitting a trio of ton‑plus checkouts in a deciding‑leg win over William O'Connor. That second victory on the European Tour stage pits Unterbuchner against two‑time champion Michael van Gerwen, while Joe Cullen will meet top seed Gian van Veen after a routine 6-1 triumph over Maik Kuivenhoven.
Dave Chisnall and Gerwyn Price are set for another blockbuster encounter after the eight‑time European Tour winner secured a gritty 6-4 win over Czechia's Petr Krivka. Keane Barry sealed a 6-3 victory over an in‑form Niels Zonneveld with clinical 124 and 130 checkouts, earning a tantalising second‑round showdown with Premier League star Josh Rock.
Kevin Doets, a semi‑finalist in Munich earlier this month, will face Jermaine Wattimena in an all‑Dutch clash after repelling a spirited comeback from fellow countryman Jurjen van der Velde. Damon Heta navigated a tough opening assignment against Madars Razma, and German number one Martin Schindler now awaits the Australian on Saturday evening.
There was also cause for celebration for Razma's World Cup partner Valters Melderis, who edged past Czechia's top player Karel Sedlacek to become the latest Latvian to triumph on the big stage. Sweden's Oskar Lukasiak advanced in dramatic fashion, surrendering a 5-1 lead against Daryl Gurney before ultimately sealing the match with his tenth dart. Elsewhere, last year's runner‑up Andrew Gilding and Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski completed the round‑two roster after beating host‑nation duo Paul Krohne and Michael Hurtz respectively.
**Round One – Friday, 17 April** *Afternoon Session* - Valters Melderis 6‑5 Karel Sedlacek - Wessel Nijman 6‑2 Ian White - Keane Barry 6‑3 Niels Zonneveld - Krzysztof Ratajski 6‑3 Michael Hurtz - Kevin Doets 6‑4 Jurjen van der Velde - Andrew Gilding 6‑3 Paul Krohne - Mickey Mansell 6‑2 Rob Cross - Dave Chisnall 6‑4 Petr Krivka *Evening Session* - Michael Unterbuchner 6‑5 William O'Connor - Joe Cullen 6‑1 Maik Kuivenhoven - Jeffrey de Zwaan 6‑3 Peter Wright - Cameron Menzies 6‑3 Raymond van Barneveld - Damon Heta 6‑4 Madars Razma - Kim Huybrechts 6‑3 Dirk van Duijvenbode - Oskar Lukasiak 6‑5 Daryl Gurney - Niko Springer 6‑1 Robin Masino **Round Two – Saturday, 18 April** *Afternoon Session (13:00 local / 12:00 BST)* - Mike De Decker v Krzysztof Ratajski - Jermaine Wattimena v Kevin Doets - Ryan Searle v Wessel Nijman - Danny Noppert v Oskar Lukasiak - Chris Dobey v Andrew Gilding - Gary Anderson v Niko Springer - Stephen Bunting v Mickey Mansell - Josh Rock v Keane Barry *Evening Session (19:00 local / 18:00 BST)* - Ross Smith v Cameron Menzies - Gerwyn Price v Dave Chisnall - Nathan Aspinall v Jeffrey de Zwaan - James Wade v Kim Huybrechts - Gian van Veen v Joe Cullen - Michael van Gerwen v Michael Unterbuchner - Martin Schindler v Damon Heta - Jonny Clayton v Valters Melderis Looking ahead, the Premier League Darts title will be defended by Luke Humphries, with live coverage every Thursday until May on Sky Sports. Fans can also stream the action and other top‑level sport through NOW.