2022 European Championships Darts Preview – JP
2022 European Championships Darts Preview
The culmination of the 13 Euro Tour (ET) events, the 2022 European Championships Darts, takes place in Dortmund, starting this Thursday. The top 32 players on the ET OOM qualify and the number 1 seed plays the 32nd and so on. The sixteen first round matches take place on Thursday and Friday, the second round on Saturday and Sunday sees the quarters, semis and final.
2022 European Championships Darts: The Players
1. Luke Humphries
A four time winner on the ET this year. He played himself into top form at last week’s players championship events, winning eight of his last ten matches. He has only played in one previous finals, reaching the second round. I like to follow players who have recently become a first time father and Humphries ticks plenty of boxes despite a lack of event form. Cool Hand looks to have a decent path to the quarter finals. Odds 21.00
2. Michael van Gerwen
MVG has won this title four times, the last of which was in 2017. He was runner up to Rob Cross last year. In 2022 he has already won the World Matchplay, the World Grand Prix, the Premier League, three ET titles and two Players Championships. Van Gerwen took last week off, but he is in great form, winning eight of his last ten. He is the ante post favourite and has to be on anybody’s shortlist. Odds 6.50
3. Peter Wright
The 2020 champion, Wright is in mixed form, losing four of his last ten matches. He has won three titles in 2022, including the World Championship, however he has lost a lot of quarters, semis and finals in 2022. He is on the shortlist for every tournament, but at 8.00, there are better value alternatives. He is defending £120k in ranking prizemoney and his World Number 1 ranking. There are better draws around and an early exit would be no surprise. Odds 8.00
4. Rob Cross
Voltage loves this event and is a two time winner and one time runner up from just five appearances. Ironically, he has never won a European Tour event but he has four major titles under his belt. He is back in top form, winning nine of his last ten matches. Very much a contender. He is in a tough quarter of the draw, but he makes plenty of appeal at pretty dismissive odds. Cross has won two Players Championships in the last three months including one last weekend. Odds 23.00
5. Damon Heta
Has he finally found the final piece of the jigsaw? Heta has been right up there in terms of his scoring for ages but found winning titles very difficult. However, he has won three titles in 2022 including two this month. He was in very poor form for a couple of months, losing ten from twelve at one point, but he got back on the practice board and has only lost three of his last twenty five matches since. He is another player who makes plenty of appeal. Odds 21.00
6. Joe Cullen
A two time semi-finalist in this event and he has had a good year, winning The Masters, runner up in the Premier League and winning one ET event and two Players Championships. Most recently he has lost four of his last ten matches and isn’t quite at his best. Odds 34.00
7. Dave Chisnall
He waited three years for a title and them two came along at once. He won the Belgian Darts Open at the end of September and PC 25 last weekend, but he is far from rock solid and has lost three of his last four and lost in the first round of the World Grand Prix immediately after winning that ET title. He is a three time quarter finalist in this event and while he is capable of another decent run, his record in majors doesn’t inspire. Odds 34.00
8. Michael Smith
A semi-finalist here in 2019 but he has only got beyond the second round twice in eight attempts. His recent form is not great, losing six of his last ten matches, and his scoring was shy of his usual standards last weekend. Odds 15.00
9. Nathan Aspinall
Reached the semi-final last year and after an injury ravaged start to 2022, he bounced back to win two Players Championships and was runner up to MVG in the World Grand Prix earlier this month. He only played one match last weekend and he has lost four of his last ten. Consistency isn’t his strong point, but he is a contender. Drawing Josh Rock in the first round is tough. Odds 19.00
10. Jonny Clayton
It just isn’t happening for The Ferret in 2022. He has only a solitary World Series title to his credit this season. His standard of play and his scoring is still right up there but he has lost that winning habit. He reached the semi-final last year, but he is finding things tougher in 2022. Clayton has lost four of his last ten matches but his scoring makes him a very dangerous opponent. Odds 15.00
11. Dimitri van den Bergh
Dimitri has lost eight of his last ten matches and has lost both his first round matches in this event. Odds 21.00
12. Danny Noppert
One of the year’s most improved players, Noppert won the UK Open in March and a players championship title in July. He was runner up in two ET events and has had plenty of good runs in various events and was a quarter finalist here last year. Noppert is a contender in all the majors these days, but his recent form is not his best, losing four of his last six. Odds 21.00
13. Dirk van Duijvenbode
Has won two players championship titles in 2022 but it has to be said that his record in the big events is disappointing. He was runner up in the 2020 World Grand Prix but outside of that, he has lost four ranking major quarter finals since then. His recent form is decent, winning seven of his last ten matches and was runner up in PC26 on Friday. Odds 15.00
14. Gerwyn Price
Only ranked 14th as a result of the fact that he chose not to play in many of the ET events. He was runner up in 2019 and reached two more quarter finals but it is one of his weaker majors. He warmed up by making two semi-finals last weekend and he has a reasonable draw, so a good run is entirely possible. Odds 8.00
15. Jose de Sousa
The Special One is playing OK, winning six of his last ten but he has lost a lot of quarter and semi-finals in 2022 and is hard to fancy as a result. Odds 41.00
16. Ryan Searle
Heavy Metal has won one Players Championship title in 2022 and his steady rate of improvement over the last few years has plateaued. His recent form sees just three wins from his last ten matches, but he is scoring very well. Last weekend his lowest average was 96.17 and that was in the only match he won. He had three 5-6 defeats and that is a sign of frustration. He is playing well and losing. Searle is hard to dismiss but equally hard to fancy. Odds 41.00
17. Martin Lukeman
Smash has built his season around the ET and made it all the way to seventeenth on the ET OOM and just outside the world’s top forty. He has won six of his last ten matches and this will be his European Championship finals debut. His A game is getting better but he slips back into sub 90 averages too often to think he will have a long run at this level. However, he did reach the quarter final at the World Grand Prix at the start of the month. Odds 101.00
18. Martin Schindler
Schindler has been playing some very good darts at times this season but not showing the consistency to finally win a title. He has made one Players Championship final and three ET quarter-finals. Close, but no cigar. His recent form sees five wins from his last ten matches. There were three ton plus averages in those ten, including a 115 when beating Matt Campbell 6-0 in PC25 last Thursday.
The German followed that up with an 88 average and a 5-6 loss to Geert Nentjes in the following match. That sort of sums his year up. He last lost both his previous first round matches in this event but his A game is good enough to beat anybody. Odds 101.00
19. Rowby-John Rodriguez
Very nearly won his first PDC senior title when runner up to Luke Humphries in the final of ET9 in July. He has failed to get beyond the second round in this event in two attempts and his recent form is poor, with six defeats in his last ten matches. Odds 151.00
20. Madars Razma
Another player who has improved in 2022. He had his best ever major performance at the World Grand Prix earlier this month, reaching the quarter final. Like Martin Schindler, Razma has reached a Players Championship final and an ET semi-final in 2022, but his recent form is modest with five wins from his last ten. Odds 151.00
21. Andrew Gilding
It’s been a good season for Gilding, making two players championship finals and an ET final. However, since making that ET final in late September, Goldfinger has played six and lost five. Odds 81.00
22. Daryl Gurney
Superchin didn’t qualify for this last year, but he made the semi-finals in 2017 and 2019. He is a two time major winner and knows all about playing on the big stages, but his recent form is a real concern as we hit the most important part of the season. Superchin has lost seven of his last ten matches and the last five in a row. He has drawn the out of form Dimitri van den Bergh in the first round and he has to take advantage of that bit of luck. Odds 81.00
23. Gabriel Clemens
Another player for whom a first PDC title remains elusive. He made a Players Championship final in 2022, largely struggled on the ET, but he finished with a flourish, reaching the quarter finals of the last two events. His recent form sees five wins from ten and he remains hard to fancy. Odds 101.00
24. Josh Rock
The hottest property in darts landed his first senior title on Sunday, beating Luke Humphries 8-5 in the final. He averaged 108 in the final and 103.12 across his seven matches. He also reached the final of PC25 on Thursday. Over the four days he played 22 and won 19 matches, hitting 13 ton plus averages.
Rock may only have won his tour card in January, but he has reached elite standards of play and is still improving. Frightening. He is looking forward to playing in all the upcoming majors and the final of the World Youth Championship. Despite his tender years and lack of experience, he must be considered as a potential winner. Odds 21.00
25. Karel Sedlacek
Made the finals despite not having a tour card. Evil Charlie made the most of his chances, reaching the quarter final of ET2 and qualifying for nine ET events in total, racking up enough money to make the finals. His recent form is not good having lost six of his last ten. Odds 201.00
26. Stephen Bunting
A veteran of six previous European Championships and he has only lost one first round match but has a best finish of a quarter final. He has won six of last ten matches and with averages of 108 to 89, he can be anything. He is not a prolific winner of titles, however. Odds 81.00
27. Ross Smith
Smudger has been hitting some very big averages of late but has lacked the consistency to pick up a title. He has played in this event twice before but only won the one match. Odds 151.00
28. Vincent van der Voort
Vincent has played in no fewer than ten European Championships but won only three matches. His recent form shows five wins from his last ten and he faces one of the hottest players around in the shape of Damon Heta in the first round. Odds 201.00
29. James Wade
Has played in even more European Championships than Van der Voort, 13 to be precise. He won it in 2018, a few weeks after the birth of his first son, and was runner up in 2020. He has had a quiet 2022 and since reaching the semi-final of the World Championship he had a UK Open quarter final, a players championship quarter final, an ET semi-final and a World Series runner up. His recent form sees six wins from his last ten. Odds 51.00
30. Ryan Meikle
The Barber has hit some form just at the right time and he just about made the top 32 on the OOM after making the quarter final of ET10. He made the semi-final of PC27 at the weekend and while he has lost five of his last ten matches and unlikely to have a long run, he is a dangerous opponent at the moment. Odds 401.00
31. Chris Dobey
Remains a frustrating figure. He won a couple of Players Championship titles last year but has not kicked on from there. He made the quarter final of the World Grand Prix, his best result of the year but his record in majors is disappointing for a player of his abilities.
Hollywood has played in two European Championships, winning just one match. His recent form sees seven wins from his last ten matches and five of them saw ton plus averages. Unfortunately for him, he has drawn MVG in the first round and their H2H record is 11-0 to Van Gerwen, including a 1-3 defeat at the recent World Grand Prix. Odds 81.00
32. Krzysztof Ratajski
Probably best if he doesn’t book the hotel for the weekend. The Polish Eagle has played in four previous European Championships and lost all four first round matches. Reaching the quarter final of ET11 was enough for Ratajski to fall over the qualifying mark but he has not had a good season. He can still score well but his confidence has taken a few knocks.
Last year he had four major quarter finals and semi-final, but he has gone out early in all the majors so far in 2022. He has the task of beating the number 1 seed, Luke Humphries, in the first round. However, it is Humphries who has never beaten Ratajski in four attempts. Odds 51.00
2022 European Championship Darts: Ante Post Selections
The first quarter features two big form players, Luke Humphries and Josh Rock. They are drawn to meet in the quarter finals. They met last weekend with Rock winning the final of PC28. Both have tough opening matches, but both are hard to oppose.
The second quarter features tournament specialist Rob Cross, the in-form Damon Heta and the dangerous Dirk van Duijvenbode. Cross has to be a pick. A two time winner and a three time finalist from just five appearances. He was back to winning ways last weekend and with his confidence restored he will believe he can win it again.
Heta Playing Well
Heta is playing well enough to win anything, but he is 1-3 vs. Cross and his record in majors has been largely disappointing. This could be his time to step up a level, but Cross is the more accomplished player in the majors. Dirk is another who has not convinced at major level. Danny Noppert is another in the quarter who cannot be dismissed but he might have gone off the boil a little.
The third quarter features four time champion Michael van Gerwen along with Clayton, De Sousa and Chisnall. It will not be a cake walk for him, but given his record in majors in 2022, Van Gerwen has to be a strong fancy to make the semi-final.
The final quarter is arguably the most open, but least likely to provide the tournament winner. Peter Wright is not at his best, Price is not quite the winning machine he has been, Cullen’s form is only OK and Van den Bergh and Gurney are the two most out of form players in the tournament.
