Defending champion Luke Humphries halted the remarkable run of Beau Greaves at the Czech Darts Open, securing a 6‑2 win on Saturday night and ending the young woman's historic streak. The event in Prague also saw Luke Littler make a strong comeback to the European Tour, while Michael van Gerwen, Gian van Veen and Gerwyn Price all recorded second‑round victories.
In a surprising twist, Stephen Bunting was beaten by Luke Woodhouse in the final match of the day, preventing Bunting from progressing further. Greaves had made headlines the previous day by becoming the first woman ever to claim a win on a European Tour stage. However, Humphries, who posted an average just under 109, quickly turned the tables and booked his place in the last‑16.
Greaves opened the match with a flawless 13‑dart leg, but the world No. 2 responded with legs of 12 and 14 darts, taking an early lead.
The three‑time Women’s World Matchplay champion showed great resilience, narrowing the deficit to a single leg with her second visit to the board. Humphries then surged ahead, stringing together three consecutive legs to seal the contest. After the match, Humphries praised his opponent: “She’s an amazing player, she pushed me all the way. It was a couple of bits towards the end of the match that got me through in the end.
She’s just a great dart player. If I had lost today, I wouldn’t have been disgraced – I would have lost to a really great dart player.” The next round pits Humphries against Andrew Gilding on Sunday afternoon. Gilding, a former UK Open champion, advanced after dispatching Nathan Aspinall with a 6‑2 scoreline. Littler’s return to the European Tour stage was equally impressive.
He defeated Germany’s Niko Springer, posting a stunning 108.59 average – a figure that underlines his rapid ascent in the sport. The world No. 1, Michael van Gerwen, made his first major appearance since retaining the World Matchplay title, cruising to a 6‑4 win and setting up a clash with Krzysztof Ratajski, who had earlier beaten Jermaine Wattimena 6‑2. Gian van Veen produced a dominant 6‑1 victory over Jeffrey De Graaf and will meet Ross Smith in the third round.
Van Veen, fresh from his Hungarian Darts Trophy triumph, is eyeing back‑to‑back success on the European Tour after a convincing 6‑1 win over Stephen Burton. Welsh representatives Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price also progressed to the final day in Prague. Clayton overcame Damon Heta, while Price dispatched Callan Rydz.
Price’s next opponent will be Cameron Menzies, who eliminated fellow Scot Gary Anderson 6‑3. Clayton will face Keane Barry, who earned his place with a 6‑4 victory over seeded player Chris Dobey. Michael van Gerwen’s quest for his first Czech Darts Open title continued as he moved into round three with a 6‑4 win over Mario Vandenbogaerde.
He will now face compatriot Wessel Nijman in what promises to be one of the afternoon’s standout ties. Nijman earned his spot by beating Martin Schindler in a dramatic finish. Schindler hit a brilliant 170 checkout but missed a crucial double in the deciding leg, allowing Nijman to clinch the match.
Northern Irish contender Josh Rock will meet Irishman William O’Connor after both players defeated Ryan Joyce and Ryan Searle respectively to secure their round‑three berths. Luke Woodhouse closed the evening’s action with a superb 6‑4 win over Stephen Bunting, averaging over 105. Woodhouse’s next challenge will be against Dutchman Danny Noppert, who had earlier dispatched Kevin Doets 6‑1. The tournament moves into the last‑16 stage on Sunday afternoon, followed by quarter‑finals, semi‑finals and the final in a packed evening session.
The schedule is as follows: - Afternoon session: 12:00 BST - Evening session: 18:00 BST Sky Sports remains the primary broadcaster for darts, covering upcoming marquee events such as the World Grand Prix (28 September–4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14–22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December–3 January). Fans can also stream live darts and additional content via NOW without a contractual commitment.