Damon Heta eliminated five-time Masters winner Michael van Gerwen to deliver a big upset last night as Gerwyn Price impressed in Milton Keynes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2026 World Masters kicked off with a scintillating night of action at Arena MK, as Heta knocked out newly crowned Bahrain Darts Master Van Gerwen by producing a doubling clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Australian number – a two-time quarter-finalist in Milton Keynes – took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a classy 124 outshot, before Van Gerwen rallied to level proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heta then capitalised on a profligate outer-ring performance from his opponent to take the next two sets and defeat the five-time Masters winner, taking out his third ton-plus checkout to put out the world number four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It was special that I got the win, it didn’t matter who I played,” admitted Heta, who converted 63% of his double attempts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Me and Michael have had a few battles over the years, but to get a win over him is defiantly a feather in the cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“At the end of the day, you have to take your chances. I missed a few but I took a few, so happy days!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price produced the standout performance of the evening, averaging 108.5 in his 3-0 drubbing of James Hurrell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former World Champion won the opening set with a 13-darter and crashed in four 180s to win six of the eight legs available to cap off a dominant display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I think I was a little bit ruthless in that game,” confessed Price, who has not progressed past round two since 2022 in Milton Keynes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It’s a cut-throat format, I think he had a shot at double to win the first set. You have to be more concentrated in every leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I had to perform well as James played fantastic. If I had one or two slip-ups it would have been a completely different game, but thankfully I was up for it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price’s Welsh World Cup partner Clayton also made a winning return to Arena MK, dispatching Wessel Nijman 3-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2021 Masters champion and runner-up in Milton Keynes last year ceded the opening set despite taking out a whopping 161 checkout, before taking out six of the next eight legs to prevail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nathan Aspinall impressed in his round one clash, reeling off six straight legs and averaging over 105 to defeat debutant Shane McGuirk 3-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Stockport star initially trailed after McGuirk conjured up an unconventional 141 finish to lead 1-0 in sets, but Aspinall did not lose a leg from then on, taking out seven of his 11 double attempts over the contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
European Champion Gian van Veen claimed victory in his maiden appearance at the World Masters, downing Ryan Joyce 3-1 to set up a round two showdown with Aspinall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
James Wade averaged over 102 to see past Madars Razma 3-2, as the 2014 Masters champion won eight of the 12 legs in the contest despite being pushed the distance by the Latvian number one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2023 Masters winner Chris Dobey breezed to a whitewash victory over Jermaine Wattimena thanks to a clinical display on the outer-ring, whilst Gary Anderson delivered a 101 average to battle past a resilient Niels Zonneveld 3-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The World Masters continues today, as defending champion Luke Humphries and World Champion Luke Littler open their campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Humphries takes on St Helens star Dave Chisnall, whilst Littler will mark his second World Masters appearance by facing former World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, 2024 Masters winner Stephen Bunting takes on Jeffrey de Graaf, and World Cup winners Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney play Connor Scutt and Dutch arrowsmith Danny Noppert respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damon Heta eliminated five-time Masters winner Michael van Gerwen to deliver a big upset last night as Gerwyn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-8545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","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
RESULTS
Round One<\/strong>: Chris Dobey 3-0 Jermaine Wattimena (2-1, 2-0, 2-1); Gary Anderson 3-2 Niels Zonneveld (0-2, 2-0, 2-1, 1-2, 2-0); James Wade 3-2 Madars Razma (1-2, 2-0, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0); Nathan Aspinall 3-1 Shane McGuirk (1-2, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0); Jonny Clayton 3-1 Wessel Nijman (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1); Gerwyn Price 3-0 James Hurrell (2-1, 2-1, 2-0); Damon Heta 3-1\u00a0Michael van Gerwen (2-0, 1-2, 2-1, 2-1); Gian van Veen 3-1 Ryan Joyce (1-2, 2-0 2-0, 2-1)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"