2025 International Darts Open R1 Preview

The action gets underway in the third Euro Tour event of the season today. Check out James Punt’s 2025 International Darts Open R1 preview and tips below.

2025 International Darts Open

The new qualifying criteria for the Euro Tour events means we get a higher quality field and better matches. If you bought a ticket for this afternoon’s session, you would think the changes were never made. It is full of uncompetitive matches and there is a lack of any big names. The promoters have loaded the evening session with the big names and better match ups.

I posted the outright selections early this weekend and of course, an hour or so later, MVG withdrew from the Premier League, and shortly after that, he pulled out of this event. Thankfully, as he withdrew after the draw was made, there was no redraw, and instead his place is taken by the second reserve player, Richard Veenstra. The Dutchman goes straight into the second round in the second seeds slot in the draw.

Callan Rydz was the first reserve, but he took the place of Daryl Gurney, who had withdrawn before the draw was made.

There is little of interest in this round, but I’ll run through the matches, in case there is a nugget in there somewhere.

Wessel Nijman vs. Radek Szaganski

The draw nobody wants. The first match on Friday afternoon. Nijman is the 1.33 favourite to beat the out of form Szaganski. The Irish based Polish player is out of form, losing seven of his last ten. Nijman has gone off the boil lately, but it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t win this. No bet.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: No Bet

Callan Rydz vs. Mario Vandenbogaerde

This is a good chance for Rydz to make hay in an event he failed to qualify for. Rydz has won six of his last ten matches but he is playing with no consistency. He has averaged anything from 80 to 106 in those ten, but he has hit five 97 plus averages, so he is not in bad nick, just not one to trust.

Super Mario has won five of his ten matches and he too is lacking in consistency, but shooting more low averages, with seven sub 92s.

These two played three times before, all in 2023 and Vandenbogaerde won two. Rydz is the better player, but mad as a box of frogs. He is the 1.44 favourite but this match makes zero appeal as a betting opportunity. No bet.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: No Bet

Ritchie Edhouse vs. Petr Krivka

I dare say the Bank of Edhouse will be paying out here, but the return on investment is just 1.16. Next.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: No Bet

Cameron Menzies vs. Kevin Knopf

Double K has played seven Challenge Tour matches in 2025 and his best performances were two 67 averages.

Menzies should win with two darts in his hand and while he will probably miscount and let the local qualifier win a leg, we have to entertain the idea of a whitewash.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: 0.5 point Menzies to win 6-0 @ 5.00 with Betfred

Andrew Gilding vs. William O’Connor

It is not often that a Gilding vs. O’Connor match will be the star draw of the session, but here it is.

O’Connor has been on my radar in the last couple of months. He is playing as well as he ever has and his 2025 win rate is 70%, way better than anything he has done in the past. He has won seven of his last ten matches and hit five ton plus averages, but there were two sub 90s as well, so he is not rock solid. The Magpie should be playing with a decent amount of confidence and so long as he can keep his chin up and not give in at the first sign of trouble, he is in with a good chance here.

Gilding has won six of his last ten matches and reached the quarter-final of PC9 on Monday. He is not scoring as well as O’Connor and has hit four sub 90 averages in his last ten.

When it comes to Gilding, you have to look at the H2H record. Some players just can’t handle Captain Weird and his slow pace of play. In this case it is 5-4 to Gilding. Seven of those matches were under 9.5 legs.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: 1 point William O’Connor to win -1.5 legs @ 2.23 with Livescorebet

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: 1 point under 9.5 legs @ 1.90 with Livescorebet

Luke Woodhouse vs. Matt Campbell

Woodhouse has made good progress in the last year or so and has reached that all important top 32 in the OOM. He has won just four of his last ten matches, however. His matches have tended to be close and he is not bang out of form, just not taking his chances well enough.

Matt Campbell has won six of his last ten matches and is playing OK. He reached the last sixteen in ET1 and played some good stuff there.

These two have never met before but I think we could have close one here.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 1.91 with Boylesports, Ladbrokes

Gian van Veen vs. Paul Goyer

Van Veen should have no problem getting past the young German qualifier. Goyer averaged 76.77 in the qualifying tournament and that is a fair reflection of where he is. He may up his game in front of the home fans, but Van Veen is one of the games heaviest scorers and this should be an easy win for the Dutchman.

You can back Goyer at 34.00 to win the match, which might be the one of the biggest price I have seen in a best of eleven leg darts match. No bet.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: No Bet

Ryan Searle vs. Darius Labanauskas

I am wary of getting involved with Searle at the moment. He withdrew from PC10 on Tuesday having played poorly on Monday. I have no idea if he was ill, injured or just had a prior engagement. If there was no question mark over him, he could be backed on the handicap here, but I will leave him be for now.

Lucky D is getting more time back playing at the top level having lost his tour card in 2023. He gave Dirk van Duijvenbode a bit of a scare in the first round of ET1, losing 4-6 in the end. He played in the two Players Championship events at the start of the week and had wins over the GOAT, Joe Cullen, and Krzysztof Ratajski. That suggests that he could cause a surprise if Searle is not fit, but I will leave one alone. No bet.

2025 International Darts Open R1 Tip: No Bet

-JamesPunt