Michael van Gerwen's campaign at the Flanders Darts Trophy came to an abrupt end in Antwerp when he was edged out by Australia’s Damon Heta in a nail‑biting second‑round encounter. The match was a showcase of tight, high‑pressure darts, with neither competitor managing to break the opponent's throw until the decisive leg. Heta, who had secured the crucial bull‑off to gain the throw advantage, held his composure in the final leg and clinched a 6-5 victory, earning a spot in the tournament's finals day on Sunday.
The win marked the second dramatic deciding‑leg triumph for Heta within a 24‑hour period. Just the night before, he had eliminated Beau Greaves, the 22‑year‑old who had made headlines in Prague by becoming the first woman to win a European Tour match. Greaves fell to the same 6-5 scoreline, unable to capitalize on the momentum she had built after her historic victory. Among the other notable performances on the evening session, England’s Nathan Aspinall stood out with a dominant 6-1 demolition of Germany’s Niko Springer.
Aspinall posted an impressive average just under 106, a figure that underscored his clinical scoring. Reflecting on his display, Aspinall said, "I saw a stat that said I've been playing the fourth best for a couple of months, so tonight I tried not to put pressure on myself and enjoy it.
I finished really well, scored really well, gave the crowd something to cheer about and happy days – onto tomorrow!" The day also featured a series of pivotal matches that shaped the race for European Tour qualification. Wessel Nijman capped the night with a stylish 6-4 win over Sebastian Bialecki, sealing his place at the next European Tour finals after a spectacular 170 checkout to start the match.
Top seed Gian van Veen progressed comfortably, defeating Gabriel Clemens 6-3 and simultaneously ending the German's hopes of qualifying for the World Grand Prix. Other qualification battles saw several seasoned players knocked out. Brendan Dolan's bid was halted by Stephen Bunting in a tight 6-5 encounter, while Martin Schindler's last‑ditch effort fell short as he averaged 84.67 in a 6-4 loss to former world champion Rob Cross. Cross capitalized on a missed double 60 by Schindler to secure the win.
In the afternoon session, Kevin Doets survived a match dart to edge past Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5. Doets had been trailing 4-1 before Ratajski rallied to level the match at 4-4, forcing a deciding leg that Doets ultimately won with a steady finish on double 10. The Dutchman’s resilience highlighted the unpredictable nature of the tournament.
The day also saw Danny Noppert, Ryan Searle, Chris Dobey, Ross Smith, Jermaine Wattimena and Luke Woodhouse all book their places in the next round. Chris Dobey displayed near‑flawless form, dropping only a single leg against Niels Zonneveld, while Woodhouse dispatched William O’Connor 6-3.
Friday had already produced its own set of upsets. Dirk van Duijvenbode fell 6-3 to Brendan Dolan, and Joe Cullen was beaten 6-3 by Belgian qualifier Andy Baetens.
Home favorite Kim Huybrechts experienced a heartbreaking loss after a dramatic walk‑on that fired up the Antwerp crowd; he ultimately succumbed in a deciding leg to Sebastian Bialecki. The tournament schedule continued with a packed lineup for Saturday, September 12. The afternoon session (12:00 BST) featured matches such as Kevin Doets vs Krzysztof Ratajski (6-5), Jermaine Wattimena vs Karel Sedlacek (6-3), Rob Cross vs Martin Schindler (6-4), and a series of other fixtures that determined the afternoon qualifiers. The evening session (18:00 BST) saw the likes of Josh Rock losing 3-6 to Ryan Joyce, Gerwyn Price beating Bradley Brooks 6-3, and James Wade dispatching Jim Long 6-2.
The headline clash of the night was Michael van Gerwen's 5-6 loss to Damon Heta, followed by Nathan Aspinall's emphatic 6-1 win over Niko Springer and Stephen Bunting's 6-5 triumph over Brendan Dolan. Sunday, September 13, will host the third round in the afternoon (13:00 local time, 12:00 BST) with matchups including Gian van Veen vs Kevin Doets, Ryan Searle vs Chris Dobey, Ryan Joyce vs Jermaine Wattimena, Gerwyn Price vs Ross Smith, James Wade vs Rob Cross, Danny Noppert vs Wessel Nijman, Damon Heta vs Luke Woodhouse, and Stephen Bunting vs Nathan Aspinall. The evening session (19:00 local time, 18:00 BST) will progress through quarter‑finals, semi‑finals and culminate in the final.
Looking ahead, Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster for darts, covering major 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 coverage and additional darts content through the NOW platform without a long‑term contract. Overall, the Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp has delivered a blend of thrilling finishes, surprising upsets, and high‑quality performances that set the stage for an exciting finals day and further European Tour action. The tournament continues to highlight the depth of talent across the sport, from rising stars like Damon Heta to established veterans such as Michael van Gerwen and Rob Cross, ensuring that darts enthusiasts have plenty to anticipate in the coming weeks.