Luke Humphries experienced a surprising 6-3 defeat at the hands of Dirk van Duijvenbode in the second round of the Hungarian Darts Trophy, causing the tournament favourite to bow out of the Budapest venue on Saturday evening. The absence of rising star Luke Littler had left the world No. 2 as the clear front‑runner, especially after he had just captured the Players Championship title in Leicester earlier in the week.
Humphries entered his first European Tour event since winning the Belgian Darts Open in March with confidence, but his campaign was cut short a day before the scheduled finals. Van Duijvenbode, who had reached the semi‑finals of the World Matchplay earlier in the summer, displayed his class by hitting a spectacular 140 finish on a double‑top finish to bring himself within a leg of victory.
He then sealed the match and booked his place for Sunday’s Finals Day. The win also snapped a nine‑match losing streak that the Dutchman had endured against the world No. 2; he responded by taking four successive 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 own recent form.
"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." Van Duijvenbode’s comments underscored a renewed confidence after a period of personal difficulty. Other highlights from the tournament included Michael van Gerwen’s comeback from 3-1 down to beat James Hurrell 6-4, keeping his hopes alive for a second Hungarian Darts Trophy crown and guaranteeing his spot in the Sunday finals.
In the last‑16, van Gerwen will meet Nathan Aspinall after "The Asp" dispatched Ryan Joyce 6-4 despite being out‑averaged; Aspinall’s five 180s and a higher volume of double attempts carried the 15th seed through. Gian van Veen was dominant in his match, white‑washing Hungarian qualifier Nandor Major 6-0 while missing only three darts at a double and finishing with a stunning 167 checkout. Josh Rock also posted a 6-0 victory, overcoming an off‑form Joe Cullen in a convincing display for the Northern Irishman. Fourth seed Jonny Clayton beat home favourite Laszlo Kadar 6-3, after Kadar had stunned Daryl Gurney the previous evening.
Keane Barry surged ahead by winning five consecutive legs to defeat Madars Razma 6-2, securing his first European Tour finals appearance in three years. Razma, however, left Budapest with the night’s most memorable checkout – a 158 finish that landed on the bull. The tournament made history earlier in the weekend when Beau Greaves became the first woman to compete in a European Tour event.
She pushed 2018 world champion Rob Cross to a deciding leg before 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 bull checkout – a day after his own nail‑biter against Greaves.
Defending champion Niko Springer saw his reign end in a rapid 14‑minute match as Ryan Searle beat him 6-4. Searle hit a 121 break by pinning the bull, while Springer's final opportunity was a missed bull for a 164 checkout that would have forced a decider. Gary Anderson announced his return to form with a first European Tour title of 2026, averaging 105.27 in a 6-2 demolition of Krzysztof Ratajski. Dave Chisnall also posted a ton‑plus average, eliminating 13th seed Wessel Nijman 6-2.
Chris Dobey rallied from 4-0 down to edge Tom Sykes 6-5, keeping his quest for a maiden European Tour trophy alive, while Ross Smith posted an average above 101 in a 6-2 win over William O'Connor. Jermaine Wattimena carried his Leicester title momentum into a 6-4 victory over Andrew Gilding, and Danny Noppert survived six missed match darts before prevailing 6-4 against Ritchie Edhouse. The schedule for the concluding sessions was packed: Sunday afternoon featured matches such as Dirk van Duijvenbode vs Rob Cross, Michael van Gerwen vs Nathan Aspinall, and Ross Smith vs Jonny Clayton.
The evening session saw Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton, Keane Barry, and Dirk van Duijvenbode all securing wins to round out the day’s action. Earlier rounds on Saturday and Friday delivered a mixture of dominant performances and tight finishes, with players like Gary Anderson, Chris Dobey, and Stephen Bunting posting comfortable scores, while others, including Rob Cross and Beau Greaves, battled to the final dart.
Looking ahead, fans can anticipate the upcoming BoyleSports World Grand Prix, where world No. 1 Luke Littler will defend his title.
The event runs from September 28 to October 4 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with streaming options available via NOW without a contract. The Hungarian Darts Trophy has already provided plenty of drama, upsets, and historic moments, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the European Tour season.