Cristo Reyes delivered a spectacular nine-dart finish during the second round of the Elten Safety Shoes Austrian Darts Open, while top seed Gian van Veen suffered an unexpected early exit. Seven seeded players were eliminated on Saturday at the Stadthalle, where Reyes stole the spotlight with a perfect leg in his victory over Australia’s number one, Damon Heta.
The Spaniard has impressed since regaining his PDC Tour Card in January, and he continued his strong form in Austria. Averaging 101.89 and hitting six 180s, Reyes secured a 6-4 win. His nine-dart leg in the fourth frame electrified the crowd, and after a spirited fightback from Heta, Reyes closed out the match with a brilliant 11-darter.
“I feel very happy,” Reyes said. “When I hit the nine-darter I got more nervous, but this is amazing. I want to say thank you to this fantastic crowd.” He will now face fifth seed Danny Noppert for a place in the quarter-finals.
Michael van Gerwen also impressed in the evening session. Averaging 103.41 and converting three ton-plus checkouts, he defeated Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 to begin his quest for a fifth Austrian Darts Open title. Van Gerwen will next face two-time European champion Rob Cross, who beat William O’Connor by the same scoreline in the afternoon session.
Van Gerwen is the highest-ranked player remaining in Graz after top seed Gian van Veen lost a final-leg decider to Latvian number one Madars Razma. Van Veen was joined on the sidelines by fellow countryman Wessel Nijman, who was overpowered by Niko Springer in a clash of two of the sport’s most explosive talents.
Elsewhere, James Wade delivered a masterful performance to end the day on a high note.
