The UK Open 2025 - Out...
On the second day of the UK Open the sun against shone in a bright blue sky with only a few small clouds. It was a little bit like summer holidays at the sea side und the Butlin's masses all walked along the promenade.
Nevertheless not really happy were probably the many players who were eliminated from the tournament on that day and of whom several to be sure had hoped for more success.
The fifth round was played at four boards - the number of boards in Centre Stage venue was reduced from six to two and there were not as many fans now as on the first day either. Those filled now Reds with the second stage and the Sky Pavillion with the main stage where the real big names played.
On the main stage the day started with a strange appearance of Ryan Searle against a to be sure really well playing Luke Humphries. Searle never was in the match and lost 0:10.
More drama we had in the second match between Rob Owen and Michael van Gerwen in which Rob Owen played better then ever before while van Gerwen once again had some problems to find his doubles
and so van Gerwen was sent packing with a for him to be sure bitter 8:10 defeat. After that it was onesided again though Jermaine Wattimea won a few legs but was without a chance against the other
Luke - Luke Littler. The fourth match was very close again and was won by Dimitri van den Bergh - who had improved a little bit - against Chris Dobey.
Most matches of the fifth round on the second stage were hard fought matches - Cross, Rock and Clayton prevailed. The only onesided match was the last one between Jurjen van der Velde and Nathan Aspinall - van der Velde never found a way to get into the match at all.
At Centre Stage Mensur Suljovic and Martin Schindler played their matches at the same time. Schindler won a close
match against Dylan Slevin while Suljovic was without a chance against William O'Connor. While the match
between the German and the Irish was watched by a very quiet crowd, both Suljovic and O'Connor were
cheered on loud - first . But then Suljovic picked a quarrel with a woman who had laughed when he just
set up to throw - the same woman had laughed several times before in her conversation, it didn't look
it was a laugh aimed to distract the player - and security turned up to caution her, the atmosphere
changed. O'Connor managed to calm Suljovic down but that didn't safe the match for the Austrian who now
had the crowd against him and he lost.
But he was not the only unhappy loser - Cameron Menzies lost a very close match to James Wade, Dave Chisnall lost to Krzysztof Ratajski and Connor Scutt who had triumphed over Gerwyn Price went out against Damon Heta.
And again there was a draw after all the matches had ended. The stages in Centre Stage were removed and the sixth round was only played on the mainstage and the second stage.
With the exception of William O'Connor and Robert Owen all players in the evening-session were under the Top 32 of the Order of Merit. And both O'Connor and Owen lost. O'Connor lost to Nathan Aspinall who managed to get over the line first. Aspinall played good but somehow it looked rather strained and not at all easygoing. Robert Owen was defeated by James Wade who was just that deciding little bit better. Reigning champion Dimitri van den Bergh was eliminated as well he was defeated by Michael Smith who was in a weak much still far better than van den Bergh. Luke Littler for the first time was a little bit in trouble against Krzysztof Ratajski but won with 10:8.
The tournament was over as well for Martin Schindler - who lost 4:10 against Jonny Clayton. In the match there
ocurred a curious incident. One of Schindler's darts bounded back from the board all the way to Schindler's
right shoe were it stuck. Schindler immidiately told he was not hurt but he couldn't win another leg in the
match...As well out were after the sixth round Damon Heta and Ryan Joyce - who only won two legs against Luke Humphries.
And again when all matches were over there was a draw - the draw for quarterfinals which ended the night.
It felt very cold during my walk along the seaside back to my Bed and Breakfast and Minehead looked rather deserted...
The fifth round was played at four boards - the number of boards in Centre Stage venue was reduced from six to two and there were not as many fans now as on the first day either. Those filled now Reds with the second stage and the Sky Pavillion with the main stage where the real big names played.
On the main stage the day started with a strange appearance of Ryan Searle against a to be sure really well playing Luke Humphries. Searle never was in the match and lost 0:10.
More drama we had in the second match between Rob Owen and Michael van Gerwen in which Rob Owen played better then ever before while van Gerwen once again had some problems to find his doubles
and so van Gerwen was sent packing with a for him to be sure bitter 8:10 defeat. After that it was onesided again though Jermaine Wattimea won a few legs but was without a chance against the other
Luke - Luke Littler. The fourth match was very close again and was won by Dimitri van den Bergh - who had improved a little bit - against Chris Dobey.
Most matches of the fifth round on the second stage were hard fought matches - Cross, Rock and Clayton prevailed. The only onesided match was the last one between Jurjen van der Velde and Nathan Aspinall - van der Velde never found a way to get into the match at all.
At Centre Stage Mensur Suljovic and Martin Schindler played their matches at the same time. Schindler won a close
match against Dylan Slevin while Suljovic was without a chance against William O'Connor. While the match
between the German and the Irish was watched by a very quiet crowd, both Suljovic and O'Connor were
cheered on loud - first . But then Suljovic picked a quarrel with a woman who had laughed when he just
set up to throw - the same woman had laughed several times before in her conversation, it didn't look
it was a laugh aimed to distract the player - and security turned up to caution her, the atmosphere
changed. O'Connor managed to calm Suljovic down but that didn't safe the match for the Austrian who now
had the crowd against him and he lost.But he was not the only unhappy loser - Cameron Menzies lost a very close match to James Wade, Dave Chisnall lost to Krzysztof Ratajski and Connor Scutt who had triumphed over Gerwyn Price went out against Damon Heta.
And again there was a draw after all the matches had ended. The stages in Centre Stage were removed and the sixth round was only played on the mainstage and the second stage.
With the exception of William O'Connor and Robert Owen all players in the evening-session were under the Top 32 of the Order of Merit. And both O'Connor and Owen lost. O'Connor lost to Nathan Aspinall who managed to get over the line first. Aspinall played good but somehow it looked rather strained and not at all easygoing. Robert Owen was defeated by James Wade who was just that deciding little bit better. Reigning champion Dimitri van den Bergh was eliminated as well he was defeated by Michael Smith who was in a weak much still far better than van den Bergh. Luke Littler for the first time was a little bit in trouble against Krzysztof Ratajski but won with 10:8.
The tournament was over as well for Martin Schindler - who lost 4:10 against Jonny Clayton. In the match there
ocurred a curious incident. One of Schindler's darts bounded back from the board all the way to Schindler's
right shoe were it stuck. Schindler immidiately told he was not hurt but he couldn't win another leg in the
match...As well out were after the sixth round Damon Heta and Ryan Joyce - who only won two legs against Luke Humphries.
And again when all matches were over there was a draw - the draw for quarterfinals which ended the night.
It felt very cold during my walk along the seaside back to my Bed and Breakfast and Minehead looked rather deserted...