Andy Baetens produced a sparkling display to preserve Belgian hopes at the 2026 Bl\u00e5kl\u00e4der Flanders Darts Trophy, as Kim Huybrechts suffered heartbreak on home soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The opening day of this weekend\u2019s European Tour showpiece saw 16 opening round ties take place at the Antwerp Expo, and it was Baetens \u2013 who progressed through Thursday\u2019s Host Nation Qualifier \u2013 who stole the headlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 37-year-old put in a blistering display to the delight of his home crowd, defying a hat-trick of ton-plus checkouts from Joe Cullen to run out a 6-3 winner with a 102.70 average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI love this stage. Playing in my home country, it was a good performance, so I\u2019m happy,\u201d reflected Baetens, who now plays Ryan Searle for a place in the last 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI seem to play my best game against Joe, but tomorrow is another day, so we will see!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rob Cross was Friday\u2019s standout performer, averaging 104.64 in his 6-3 success against Cristo Reyes, which simultaneously ended the Spaniard\u2019s hopes of qualifying for the upcoming World Grand Prix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reyes averaged 102.68 in defeat, with Slovak Darts Open runner-up Cross reeling off three consecutive legs to set up a showdown against German number one Martin Schindler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Friday\u2019s action was dominated by the race for World Grand Prix qualification, which will reach its climax on Belgian soil this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sebastian Bialecki currently occupies a place in the provisional 32-player field, after surviving six match darts to edge past home favourite Huybrechts in a contest littered with drama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Poland\u2019s number two conjured sensational 170 and 126 checkouts to establish a 5-3 cushion, only for Huybrechts to respond with skin-saving 112 and 88 finishes in a pulsating finale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Huybrechts was unable to convert any of the six match-winning opportunities that would have moved him into the provisional qualification places, putting Bialecki in pole position for a double-start debut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gabriel Clemens also preserved his slender hopes of qualification with victory over Cameron Menzies, although the German must lift the title this weekend to book his place in Leicester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clemens\u2019 reward is a clash against top seed Gian van Veen, while Karel Sedlacek \u2013 also chasing a World Grand Prix spot \u2013 overcame Denmark\u2019s Michael Hansen in his opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jeffrey de Graaf is another player harbouring hopes of a World Grand Prix debut, and the Swede survived a major scare to win through a gruelling decider against Host Nation representative Jeroen Caron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brendan Dolan \u2013 who must win the title if he\u2019s to return to the World Grand Prix stage \u2013 also made a winning start in Antwerp, claiming the scalp of a profligate Dirk van Duijvenbode in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cullen\u2019s defeat to Baetens leaves him precariously placed in the final qualification spot, with five players still able to overhaul the former Masters champion over the coming days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elsewhere, Damon Heta will go head-to-head with Michael van Gerwen in a blockbuster tie on Saturday, after fending off a late charge from Beau Greaves to prevail in a last-leg thriller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greaves recovered from 5-2 down to force a decider, but with the Women\u2019s World Matchplay champion poised on tops for victory, Heta converted a clinical 102 kill to squeeze through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kevin Doets averaged north of 99 in his 6-1 demolition of James Hurrell, while Niko Springer earned a meeting with Nathan Aspinall after easing past Belgium\u2019s Jaimy Jacobs by the same scoreline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bradley Brooks will lock horns with Gerwyn Price for a place at Finals Day, having pinned 60% of his attempts at double to complete a hard-fought 6-4 success against Mickey Mansell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Niels Zonneveld launched a terrific fightback from 3-0 adrift to defeat debutant Petr Tous, advancing alongside William O\u2019Connor, who accounted for newcomer Kevin Lankhuizen in routine fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ryan Joyce progressed via a last-leg decider, producing a late surge to deny Stephen Burton, while Chris Landman toppled Andrew Gilding in similar style to register his first European Tour victory of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jim Long completed Saturday\u2019s line-up with a 6-2 win over five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, and ten-time TV title winner James Wade now awaits the Canadian veteran in round two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Flanders Darts Trophy continues with a bumper double session on Saturday, as the 16 seeded representatives enter the fray on Day Two in Antwerp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RESULTS Andy Baetens produced a sparkling display to preserve Belgian hopes at the 2026 Bl\u00e5kl\u00e4der Flanders Darts Trophy, as<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-15626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-darts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
Round One
<\/strong>Niels Zonneveld 6-3 Petr Tous
Bradley Brooks 6-4 Mickey Mansell
Chris Landman 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Kevin Doets 6-1 James Hurrell
Karel Sedlacek 6-2 Michael Hansen
Jeffrey de Graaf 6-5 Jeroen Caron
Ryan Joyce 6-5 Stephen Burton
Niko Springer 6-1 Jaimy Jacobs
<\/strong>Rob Cross 6-3 Cristo Reyes
Andy Baetens 6-3 Joe Cullen
Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Cameron Menzies
William O’Connor 6-2 Kevin LankhuizenJim Long 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
Damon Heta 6-5 Beau Greaves
Sebastian Bialecki 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"