Michael van Gerwen saw his attempt to retain the World Series of Darts Finals crown come to an abrupt halt in the very first round, succumbing to a narrow 6-5 defeat at the hands of Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney. The Dutch star found himself in a tense battle, leading 5-4 and having six opportunities to close out the match, but each of his match darts fell short.
Gurney, who had already endured a chorus of boos and whistles from the Amsterdam crowd, steadied himself and forced the contest into a deciding leg, where he ultimately prevailed. This loss marks only the second occasion that Van Gerwen has been knocked out in his opening match at this particular event, underscoring the challenges he has faced throughout a difficult 2026 season. The defeat adds to a growing list of early exits that have surprised fans and commentators alike, given Van Gerwen's reputation as a three‑time world champion and one of the sport's most dominant figures. Gurney, reflecting on his victory, admitted that the win required a great deal of perseverance.
"It was really hard work. I can't remember the last time I won on a major stage," he said, noting that his recent performances on the biggest stages have been sporadic, with the World Cup of Darts being one of the few tournaments where he has found success.
He continued, "I put my darts away twice because Michael had six match darts. In all honesty, I was very lucky to even go 5-5 and I had the throw. I was like, 'please I need trebles.'" His candid remarks highlighted both the pressure of facing a player of Van Gerwen's calibre and the thin margin between victory and defeat.
Gurney's participation in the tournament was itself the result of an unexpected turn of events. Visa complications forced the Philippines representatives, Alexis Toylo and Lourence Ilagan, to withdraw from the competition.
As a result, the tournament organizers turned to the reserve list, where Maik Kuivenhoven of the Netherlands and Gurney were the highest‑ranked players. Both were subsequently invited to fill the vacant spots, giving Gurney the opportunity to compete on the world stage. The match itself began with Gurney racing to a 3-0 lead, capitalising on Van Gerwen's inability to hit a single double in the opening legs. However, the tide quickly turned as the Dutch champion responded by taking five consecutive legs, putting him ahead 5-3 and seemingly on course to clinch the match.
Gurney, refusing to capitulate, halted the momentum at 5-4 and then capitalised on Van Gerwen's six missed match darts to break his opponent's throw. Holding his nerve in the final leg, Gurney secured the win and advanced to the second round, where he will face Ross Smith, who had earlier dispatched Kevin Doets 6-3. The first round of the tournament produced several other notable storylines.
England's Luke Humphries engaged in a dramatic showdown with Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena, ultimately emerging victorious with a 6-4 scoreline. The opening four legs were split evenly before Humphries produced a spectacular 132 checkout (two bullseyes followed by a double 16) to seize the initiative. Despite later missing eight match darts while leading 5-3, Humphries managed to close out the match after a further three missed darts in the subsequent leg, earning a place against Dirk van Duijvenbode in the Saturday afternoon second round. Van Duijvenbode himself had mounted a comeback from 4-1 down to defeat Sweden's Viktor Tingstrom 6-4.
In another thrilling encounter, Josh Rock rallied from a deficit to defeat Stephen Bunting 6-5, clinching the final three legs after Bunting missed his own match darts. Rock's next opponent will be Ryan Searle, who comfortably beat Rob Cross 6-2. Meanwhile, Gian van Veen produced a dominant 6-2 victory over Chris Dobey, and Karel Sedlacek edged past Ben Robb 6-4. The tournament's schedule promises further excitement on Friday, when the remaining first‑round matches will be completed.
Players such as Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, James Wade and Nathan Aspinall are set to take the stage. Littler, in particular, enters the night on a high note, having captured every major title available to him this year, and will be aiming to add a second World Series of Darts Finals crown to his résumé.
For viewers wishing to follow the action, the organizers recommend using the Chrome browser to access a more accessible video player. The event's first round will conclude on Thursday, September 17, with a full slate of matches, including Viktor Tingstrom versus Dirk van Duijvenbode, Rob Cross versus Ryan Searle, and the aforementioned Michael van Gerwen versus Daryl Gurney. Fans can also look ahead to the World Grand Prix, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 28 to October 4, with streaming available via NOW – a contract‑free service that can be cancelled at any time.
Overall, the early stages of the World Series of Darts Finals have delivered a mix of upsets, comebacks, and high‑quality darts, setting the tone for what promises to be an exhilarating tournament as the remaining rounds unfold.