Gian van Veen (Photo PDC)
Gian van Veen and Ryan Joyce both survived scares in their round two matches in Kiel, as the pair booked their place in the final day of action at the Baltic Sea Darts Open.
Van Veen returned to big stage action after defeat to Ryan Searle in the quarter-finals at the International Darts Open last week, with the world number three coming from 5-2 down to beat Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-5.
“Dimitri [Van den Bergh] scoring wise today wasn’t really up to par today, he finished really well and suddenly I was 5-2 down.
“Last week when I beat Kevin Doets, that’s where I felt most at ease on the stage in recent times.
“It’s been difficult the last couple of months, I need to work hard for it, but, I’m still here and winning games and that’s what it’s all about.”
Gian van Veen will battle it out with Dave Chisnall in tomorrow’s last 16, as the 45-year-old beat Joe Cullen 6-4 despite The Rockstars massive 160 checkout.
Day Two saw the seeded stars kick off their campaigns at the MERKUR Ostseehalle, as ProTour leader Wessel Nijman thrashed Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski to avenge his round three exit last weekend.
The 25-year-old ran out a 6-2 victor over Ratajski, averaging upwards of 98 to set-up a brilliant prospective tie against International Darts Open finalist Searle.
“I’ll take the 98 average, I’m feeling really confident and really relaxed to be honest.
“Sometimes you’ll have these days where you feel like everything is going to go your way and today was one of those days.”
Searle continued from where he left off in Riesa, as the Englishman beat Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 despite the Dutchman dominating the scoring phase, pinning six maximums in ten legs.
Joyce rallied on against home soil hero Martin Schindler, narrowly edging out the German in a brutal last-leg decider to set up a contest against Schindler’s compatriot Niko Springer, who defeated last week’s champion Ross Smith with an average upwards of 102.
Kevin Doets’ hunt for a European Tour title lives on in Kiel, as the Dutchman denied Nathan Aspinall of victory on his return to the stage, beating the former World Matchplay champion 6-3.
Doets will face Justin Hood for a place in the quarter-finals, as Hood produced a mammoth performance to see off Jermaine Wattimena 6-1, averaging just shy of 100.
Cameron Menzies recent resurgence continued in Kiel, as the Scotsman delivered another hammer blow to Stephen Bunting in round two, defeating the former Premier League star 6-2 with checkouts of 107 and 148 along the way.
Menzies’ reward is a last 16 clash against recent ranking title winner Luke Woodhouse, who saw off Andrew Gilding 6-3 in a fiery contest earlier in the day.
Jimmy van Schie’s European Tour debut continues into Sunday, as the Dutchman dispatched former World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker 6-1.
The Dutchman will now face Sebastian Bialecki in the last 16, as Bialecki produced an outstanding display to see off Dobey 6-3.
World Cup captains Damon Heta and William O’Connor are set to go head-to-head for a place in the quarter-finals, following wins over Karel Sedlacek and Danny Noppert respectively.
Elsewhere, Ricky Evans raced past Daryl Gurney to earn a match up against James Wade, who edged past Niels Zonneveld as the 43-year-old hunts for his first European Tour title in over ten years.
RESULTS
Round Two
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Jimmy van Schie 6-1 Mike De Decker
Ricky Evans 6-3 Daryl Gurney
Damon Heta 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Ryan Searle 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Joe Cullen
Justin Hood 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
William O’Connor 6-2 Danny Noppert
Sebastian Bialecki 6-3 Chris Dobey
James Wade 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
Cameron Menzies 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Kevin Doets 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Gian van Veen 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ryan Joyce 6-5 Martin Schindler
Niko Springer 6-2 Ross Smith
