Luke Humphries experienced a surprising 6-3 loss to Dirk van Duijvenbode in the second round of the Hungarian Darts Trophy, ending the tournament favourite's run in Budapest on Saturday night. Humphries, who entered the event as the clear favorite after world No. 2 status and a recent Players Championship victory in Leicester, was expected to progress deep into the competition. However, his first European Tour appearance since capturing the Belgian Darts Open title in March concluded a day before the scheduled finals.
Van Duijvenbode, who reached the semi‑finals of the World Matchplay earlier in the summer, seized control of the match with a spectacular 140 checkout on a double‑top finish, bringing him within a single leg of victory. He then closed out the encounter, securing his place on Sunday’s Finals Day. The win also snapped a nine‑match losing streak that van Duijvenbode had endured against the world No. 2, as he rattled off four straight legs after trailing 3-2 and posted an impressive average of 98.
"Luke is a phenomenal player, but I think I'm okay as well," van Duijvenbode said, noting his recent personal improvements. "I'm happier in life at the moment.
I've had a lot of struggles, but I feel better, life is better and I'm getting better now hopefully." Other notable results from the tournament included Michael van Gerwen’s comeback from 3-1 down to defeat James Hurrell 6-4, keeping his hopes alive for a second Hungarian Darts Trophy crown and guaranteeing his spot in the Sunday finals. Van Gerwen will meet Nathan Aspinall in the last‑16 after Aspinall edged Ryan Joyce 6-4 despite being out‑averaged; Aspinall’s five 180s and a higher volume of double chances carried the 15th seed through.
Gian van Veen delivered a dominant performance, whitewashing Hungarian qualifier Nandor Major 6-0 while missing just three darts at a double and finishing with a flawless 167 checkout. Josh Rock also posted a 6-0 victory, overcoming an out‑of‑form Joe Cullen. Fourth seed Jonny Clayton beat local hope László Kádár 6-3, after Kádár had stunned Daryl Gurney the previous evening.
Keane Barry advanced by stringing together five consecutive legs to defeat Madars Razma 6-2, marking his first appearance on a European Tour finals day in three years. Although Razma left Budapest with the night’s most spectacular checkout—a 158 finish on the bull—Barry’s consistency proved decisive. The tournament made history earlier in the weekend when Beau Greaves became the first woman to compete in a European Tour event.
Greaves pushed 2018 world champion Rob Cross to a deciding leg, eventually losing 6-5. Cross needed a second consecutive last‑leg escape, surviving two 136 finishes and missing match darts from Luke Woodhouse before clinching the win with a 130 bullseye checkout. Defending champion Niko Springer’s reign was short‑lived; Ryan Searle eliminated him 6-4 in a match that lasted just 14 minutes. Searle hit a 121 bullseye break, while Springer missed a bull for a 164 checkout that would have forced a decider.
Gary Anderson announced his arrival on the European Tour with a statement win, averaging 105.27 as the two‑time world champion dismantled Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2. Dave Chisnall also posted a ton‑plus average, dispatching 13th seed Wessel Nijman 6-2. Chris Dobey rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat Tom Sykes 6-5, keeping his quest for a maiden European Tour title alive.
Ross Smith posted an average above 101 in a 6-2 victory over William O’Connor. Jermaine Wattimena carried the form that won him the Leicester title into a 6-4 win over Andrew Gilding, while Danny Noppert survived six missed match darts before edging Ritchie Edhouse 6-4. The schedule for the final day featured a packed afternoon session: Dirk van Duijvenbode vs.
Rob Cross, Michael van Gerwen vs. Nathan Aspinall, Ross Smith vs. Jonny Clayton, Ryan Searle vs.
Danny Noppert, Stephen Bunting vs. Gary Anderson, Chris Dobey vs. Josh Rock, and Jermaine Wattimena vs. Gian van Veen.
The previous day’s round two saw notable clashes such as Ross Smith 6-2 William O’Connor, Dave Chisnall 6-2 Wessel Nijman, and Gary Anderson 6-2 Krzysztof Ratajski. Evening sessions delivered further drama, with Stephen Bunting thrashing Jonas Mäslin 6-1, Jonny Clayton defeating László Kádár 6-3, and Keane Barry overcoming Madars Razma 6-2. Dirk van Duijvenbode’s 6-3 win over Humphries and Michael van Gerwen’s 6-4 triumph over James Hurrell were among the highlights. The tournament also featured a series of early‑round results that set the tone for the weekend, including Jonas Mäslin’s 6-4 victory over Kevin Doets, Andrew Gilding’s 6-0 win over Milan Biro, and Ritchie Edhouse’s 6-1 defeat of Connor Scutt.
Niko Springer’s 6-1 win over Maik Kuivenhoven and William O’Connor’s 6-2 loss to Samuel Price were among the upsets that kept the competition unpredictable. Looking ahead, fans can anticipate the upcoming BoyleSports World Grand Prix, where world No. 1 Luke Littler will defend his title from September 28 to October 4 on Sky Sports. The darts calendar remains packed with high‑stakes events, and streaming options such as NOW offer contract‑free access for viewers eager to follow the sport’s top talent.