Michael Smith (Photo PDC)
Former champion Michael Smith was among the eight players to secure a spot in the 2025 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts at Friday’s Tour Card Holder Qualifier in Wigan.
Following the conclusion of the PDC ProTour season on Thursday, the Robin Park Leisure Centre played host to the Grand Slam of Darts Tour Card Holder Qualifier, as 104 players competed for the final eight spots in the £650,000 event.
2022 Grand Slam champion Smith will make his first televised appearance since March’s UK Open, after halting Krzysztof Ratajski’s fightback in the final round of qualification.
The St Helens star ran out a 5-3 winner against Poland’s number one to secure his Wolverhampton return, having also averaged 105 in a 5-1 demolition of Rusty-Jake Rodriguez, before surviving match darts in edging past 2020 winner Jose de Sousa.
Wessel Nijman – fresh from Players Championship 34 success on Thursday – defied a 112.57 average from Ritchie Edhouse to prevail in their winner-takes-all showdown, averaging almost 107 after dumping out 2014 runner-up Dave Chisnall earlier in the day.
Nijman’s compatriot Danny Noppert will also return to the Grand Slam stage, following up averages of 107 and 102 against Chris Landman and Alan Soutar with a 5-2 success against his fellow countryman Dennie Olde Kalter.
Connor Scutt will make his second consecutive Grand Slam of Darts appearance after defeating two-time World Champion Peter Wright and Belgian number one Mike De Decker en route to qualification, averaging almost 101 across his four matches in Wigan.
Ricky Evans dumped out top seed Rob Cross before averaging 101 to dispatch Mensur Suljovic and clinch his qualification, as the Kettering ace prepares to make his first Wolverhampton appearance since 2020.
Luke Woodhouse overcame Martijn Dragt, Michele Turetta and Christian Kist to book his place in the £650,000 event, with newcomers Karel Sedlacek and Lukas Wenig completing the list of eight qualifiers.
Czech number one Sedlacek will make his debut following a 103 average in his decisive showdown against Keane Barry, while German star Wenig recorded deciding-leg victories over Thibault Tricole and Jermaine Wattimena to break new ground in his career.
Cross was one of several high-profile names to miss out on qualification, alongside former European Champion Ross Smith and Belgian duo De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh.
Three-time finalist Wright has failed to qualify for the Grand Slam for the first time since 2012, following his whitewash defeat at the hands of Scutt, with 2012 champion Raymond van Barneveld succumbing against Chisnall in his opening round tie.
Chisnall will be another big-name absentee in the West Midlands, with Wattimena, Cameron Menzies, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Joe Cullen also falling short in Wigan.
Reigning champion Luke Littler will headline a star-studded 32-player field in Wolverhampton, which also includes world number one Luke Humphries and three-time champion Michael van Gerwen.
Newly crowned European Champion Gian van Veen will be chasing back-to-back televised titles, as three-time winner Gerwyn Price returns to the Grand Slam stage after missing out on qualification 12 months ago.
RESULTS
Last 16: Ricky Evans 5-1 Mensur Suljovic; Luke Woodhouse 5-2 Christian Kist; Connor Scutt 5-3 Mike De Decker; Wessel Nijman 5-2 Ritchie Edhouse; Danny Noppert 5-2 Dennie Olde Kalterl; Karel Sedlacek 5-3 Keane Barry; Michael Smith 5-3 Krzysztof Ratajski; Lukas Wenig 5-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Qualifying Players
Invited in the following order
TV Event Finalists, then European Tour & Players Championship Winners: Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Josh Rock, Daryl Gurney, Martin Lukeman, James Wade, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting, Gary Anderson, Martin Schindler, Niko Springer, Chris Dobey, Damon Heta
Tour Card Holder Qualifiers: Ricky Evans, Luke Woodhouse, Connor Scutt, Wessel Nijman, Danny Noppert, Karel Sedlacek, Michael Smith, Lukas Wenig
Additional Qualifiers: Jurjen van der Velde, Lisa Ashton, Cam Crabtree, Stefan Bellmont, Beau Greaves, Alexis Toylo, Alex Spellman
