Jonny Clayton beats Luke Humphries (Photo by Taylor Lanning/PDC)
Jonny Clayton secured a first PDC ranking title in over a year by claiming the Swiss Darts Trophy, defeating Luke Humphries 8-4 in the final last night.
Clayton became the third different winner at the St Jakobshalle, scooping the £35,000 top prize and crucially sealing his long-awaited Grand Slam of Darts qualification in the process.
The Welshman concluded the tournament with a 102.69 tournament average, sealing a fourth European Tour crown and first ranking title since May 2025.
“I’m over the moon with this,” confessed Clayton, whose fourth European Tour title moves him level with Phil Taylor and Nathan Aspinall.
“It was a great game to be involved in. If you want to lift these trophies, you have to beat people like Luke.
“It’s always good to win a trophy. To do it against a man like this, I can’t speak any more words.
“He’s absolutely fantastic, a good friend, and what a player. He’s played amazing this weekend and I think I’ve done alright this weekend. Thank God I’m in the Grand Slam!”
Clayton recorded a sublime 108.81 average in romping past Maik Kuivenhoven to kick off his campaign in Basel, before defying a 106+ average from Rob Cross to reach the quarter-finals.
The former World Grand Prix champion then dispatched Karel Sedlacek 6-2 with relative ease, before producing another stellar showing to average 105 and dump out Gian van Veen 7-4.
Facing Humphries in a rematch of their Belgian Darts Open final in March, the pair traded blows in an explosive start, with Humphries spurning darts to break the Welshman’s throw in the opening three legs.
Clayton then defied six perfect darts from his opponent to hold throw with an 11-dart leg to lead 3-2, before the crucial break came in leg ten – after Humphries wired the bullseye on a 164 finish for the second time in the contest, Clayton cleaned up to take a 6-4 advantage.
Clayton’s clinical edge proved the difference across the contest – finishing 62% of his double attempts compared to Humphries’ 22% – as he closed out the contest with a 12-darter to seize the trophy.
The title not only secures his spot at the Grand Slam of Darts in November, but also moves him back up to world number five, overtaking James Wade.
The world number two began his title pursuit by defying a 105.64 average from Kevin Doets to prevail in a last-leg decider, before breaking history in his whitewash thrashing of Krzysztof Ratajski.
Humphries averaged a tournament-record 114.15 – missing a dart at double five to equal the all-time European Tour record average – in bulldozing past the Polish number one and into the last eight.
The 2023/24 World Champion conjured a third consecutive ton-plus average to see off Cristo Reyes 6-3, before missing just one dart at double and averaging 111.17 against Mensur Suljovic in another supreme display to reach the final, where he lost out to Clayton.
“I think Jonny was unbelievable there,” said Humphries, who missed out on a tenth career European Tour title.
“With that World Grand Prix trophy, I came up on this stage this weekend and thought everything’s a bonus – when I’m relaxed, I’m dangerous.
“I think the two top players in this tournament made the final. I’m proud of Jonny, he’s a fantastic bloke and fantastic friend – I’m happy for him to win.”
Austrian number one Suljovic reached the last four of a European Tour event for the first time in over five years, defeating two-time European Tour winner Ross Smith and World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode en route.
Van Veen completed the final four line-up after reaching a third European Tour semi-final of 2026, although a title on the circuit continues to elude the Dutch number one.
Despite starting the weekend on the periphery of European Championship qualification, Reyes’ run to the last eight hugely bolsters the Spaniard’s hopes of a first Dortmund appearance since 2018.
Spain’s premier player – who only regained his Tour Card in January – took the scalps of Cameron Menzies, Ryan Searle and Damon Heta to reach a second European Tour quarter-final this year.
Czechia’s number one Sedlacek, who started the weekend well outside of a provisional Dortmund spot, now sits just one spot away from qualification after making the quarter-finals, accounting for top ProTour performer Wessel Nijman and Josh Rock on the way.
Bradley Brooks competed in his first European Tour quarter-final after a groundbreaking tournament, including wins over Chris Dobey and Jeffrey de Graaf, while Dirk van Duijvenbode saw off Michael Smith and Wade to reach the last eight.
The 2026 European Tour continues with the 15th and final event of the year next weekend, as the Dutch Darts Championship takes place in Maastricht from October 16-18.
Greaves caps off Women’s Series season in record-breaking style
Beau Greaves capped off the PDC Women’s Series season in record-breaking style on Sunday, as Vicky Pruim confirmed her World Darts Championship qualification in Wigan.
Despite claiming back-to-back titles on Saturday, Greaves raised the bar even further in Sunday’s double-header, producing a historic run of performances to clinch the Event 23 crown.
The 22-year-old recorded an astonishing 98.75 tournament average across her seven matches – marking the highest event winning average in PDC Women’s Series history.
Greaves opened Sunday’s proceedings with a quartet of 4-0 victories, featuring 100.2 and 103.66 averages in statement wins over Jody Hancock and Steph Clarke.
Having also dispatched Ruby Grey and Rebecca Allen in four straight legs, Greaves’ unblemished run of whitewashes eventually came to an end in her quarter-final clash against Gemma Hayter.
The Doncaster darter ran out a 5-2 winner against Event 22 runner-up Hayter, and she maintained her charge with a 102.56 average in her semi-final demolition of Fallon Sherrock.
Greaves then rounded off her irrepressible campaign with a 5-3 victory against Jade Gofford, averaging north of 101 following a mid-match blitz that saw her win three successive legs in 12, 13 and 14 darts.
Gofford also performed superbly to pocket the £1,000 runner-up prize, overcoming Laura Turner, Rhian O’Sullivan and Lisa Ashton in advancing to her maiden Women’s Series final.
However, Greaves then capped off a flawless weekend with Event 24 glory in Sunday’s second event, sealed with a 5-2 victory against Italian trailblazer Aurora Fochesato.
The 20-year-old became the first Italian player to compete in a Women’s Series final, but Greaves ultimately proved too strong, storming to a record-extending 63rd title on the circuit.
The three-time Women’s World Matchplay champion surrendered just three legs in claiming the title, sweeping aside Laura van den Berg, Sara Walton, Vicky Martin and Lauren Bloomfield in reaching the last eight.
There, Greaves overcame Allen for the second event in succession, before following up a semi-final whitewash of Kirsty Hutchinson by accounting for Italian prospect Fochesato.
“I felt good,” revealed Greaves, who has won an extraordinary 17 Women’s Series titles across this year’s 24 events.
“I was chuffed with the first competition. I had some good averages and then I played steady enough in the second event.
“I knew I hadn’t been playing at my best recently, but I’ve had some good moments today and I’m ready to build on it and take this into the back end of the year.”
Greaves will be unable to compete on the PDC Women’s Series circuit in 2027 if she establishes herself in the world’s top 64, although she is confident of a bright future for the women’s game.
“I love playing in these events,” added the former World Youth Championship runner-up.
“I really hope that if this is my last one [event], all the ladies push themselves and want to play more, because that’s the main goal.
“I look forward to watching it if not playing in it, depending on where I am!
“I love the ladies’ game and I know there’s so many that support it. It’s a great competition to be in.”
Sunday’s double-header also saw the race for World Darts Championship qualification culminate in Wigan, with Pruim claiming the final spot on offer via the 2026 Women’s Series rankings.
Pruim will become the first Swedish woman to compete at Alexandra Palace, and she will be joined in the sport’s flagship event by Greaves, Ashton, Sherrock and Hayter.
Ashton, meanwhile, will compete alongside Greaves in next month’s Grand Slam of Darts, as the highest-ranked non-qualified player on the 2026 Women’s Series rankings.
RESULTS
Swiss Darts Trophy
Round Three
Karel Sedlacek 6-2 Josh Rock
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Rob Cross
Bradley Brooks 6-3 Jeffrey de Graaf
Gian van Veen 6-4 Tom Bissell
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Ross Smith
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Michael Smith
Cristo Reyes 6-4 Damon Heta
Luke Humphries 6-0 Krzysztof Ratajski
Quarter-Finals
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Karel Sedlacek
Gian van Veen 6-5 Bradley Brooks
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Luke Humphries 6-3 Cristo Reyes
Semi-Finals
Jonny Clayton 7-4 Gian van Veen
Luke Humphries 7-4 Mensur Suljovic
Final
Jonny Clayton 8-4 Luke Humphries
PDC Women’s Series
Event 23
Quarter-Finals
Jade Gofford 5-4 Rhian O’Sullivan
Lisa Ashton 5-0 Denise Cassidy
Beau Greaves 5-2 Gemma Hayter
Fallon Sherrock 5-3 Trina Gulliver
Semi-Finals
Jade Gofford 5-2 Lisa Ashton
Beau Greaves 5-1 Fallon Sherrock
Final
Beau Greaves 5-3 Jade Gofford
Event 24
Quarter-Finals
Beau Greaves 5-1 Rebecca Allen
Kirsty Hutchinson 5-1 Kyana Frauenfelder
Vicky Pruim 5-4 Fallon Sherrock
Aurora Fochesato 5-2 Aoife McCormack
Semi-Finals
Beau Greaves 5-0 Kirsty Hutchinson
Aurora Fochesato 5-4 Vicky Pruim
Final
Beau Greaves 5-2 Aurora Fochesato
