2026 International Darts Open R2 Preview – JP
2026 International Darts Open R2 Preview
It is fair to say things didn’t go to plan for us in R1 but hopefully, we get back on track this afternoon. Check out James Punt’s 2026 International Darts Open R2 preview below.
Round 1 Reflections
Yesterday was a day to forget. I was able to pick players who failed spectacularly. Gurney 13% on his doubles, Springer 82 average, Maendl-Lawrance 75 average, Barry 12.5% on the doubles, and Gilding 27%. Gerwyn Price was a late withdrawal, but at least that is just a non-runner. Kevin Doets was player of the day with a 102 average and he lives to fight another day. Onwards and upwards.
Jermaine Wattimena vs. Bradley Brooks
Brooks played OK against an out of sorts Andrew Gilding, whose good form deserted him. Brooks has lost six of his last ten matches and his record on the Euro Tour is grim. He has never won a second-round match from seven played.
Wattimena has won seven of his last ten matches and was runner up in PC17 on Monday. There were three sub 90 averages in those ten, so he is not banker material, but a strong favourite against Brooks.
He may be the 1.44 favourite, but his record against Brooks is poor, losing four of their five matches, including a 2-6 loss last month. No bet.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: No Bet
Damon Heta vs. Niels Zonneveld
Zonneveld showed better form in an easy 6-2 win over a very disappointing Keane Barry yesterday. The Dutchman has had two Euro Tour semi-finals and a quarter final in 2026, and he will be feeling more comfortable than the struggling Aussie.
Heta was a semi-finalist in ET2 but, since then, he has lost three of his four second round matches and not got past round three. His recent form sees six wins from his last ten matches and he has played some great stuff, and some poor stuff. His seasonal win rate is just 49% and that is a fair reflection of his form.
Their H2H record is 6-1 to Heta, many of them easy wins, but also several years ago, when Heta was a better player.
Zonneveld is the 1.83 favourite, Heta 2.00. I can’t argue with those odds. No bet.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: No Bet
Luke Woodhouse vs. Kevin Doets
Two players enjoying a breakthrough season. Both have won a Players Championship title. PC13 for Doets, and PC18 on Tuesday for Woodhouse. Doets has also made a Euro Tour final and another semi-final. The Dutchman has won eight of his last ten matches and three of his four Euro Tour second round matches.
Woodhouse has won eight of his last ten matches and has been playing very well. These two are two of the most in-form players in the tournament and it is unfortunate that they have to meet at such an early stage.
Their H2H record is 2-0 to Doets and both were played this month. The first was an 8-5 win for Doets in the final of PC13, and he followed that up a few days later with a 6-3 win in ET6, on route to the final.
Doets is the 1.62 favourite, Woodhouse 2.63. We are on Doets outright, so there is no need to pick the winner at what are cramped odds. Two confident players in top form should provide a close match and over 9.5 legs looks a decent call.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 1.95 with Bresbet
Danny Noppert vs. Ricardo Pietreczko
Pikachu ended a run of ten straight defeats when he beat Maik Kuivenhoven 6-2. It was a poor match with both players hitting sub 87 averages and it was decided on the doubles, with Kuivenhoven checking out at a pathetic 17%.
Noppert has won seven of his last ten matches. In his last thirteen Euro Tour events, Noppert has reached two finals, six further quarter finals and won ten of his second-round matches. Ricardo has lost ten of his last twelve second round matches.
Their H2H record is 3-1 to Noppert, but Pietreczko did win their only Euro Tour match 6-1in 2024.
Noppert is the 1.20 favourite and there is no betting interest in this match. No bet.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: no bet
Ross Smith vs. Joe Cullen
Joe Cullen made hard work of beating Dutch journeyman Chris Landman 6-5 yesterday. He has won six of his last ten matches and there has been quite a lot of very average darts played. Seven averages of 92 or less.
Ross Smith has also won six of his last ten and he too has played some very ordinary darts, with six 90 or worse averages.
Their H2H record is 9-8 to Cullen and they have played five Euro Tour matches, with four over 9.5 legs.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 1.98 with Livescorebet
Mike de Decker vs. Rob Cross
Decker has lost his last five matches, has lost his last five Euro Tour matches and his last eight second round matches. His H2H record vs. Rob Cross is 2-8 and in Europe, 0-2.
Rob Cross beat Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 yesterday, he just hung in until Dirk missed his chance. It was a gritty performance and gritty is the very last word I would use to describe De Decker.
Cross is the 1.67 favourite to win and I would be surprised if he didn’t.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point Rob Cross to win @ 1.67 with Boylesports
Wessel Nijman vs. William O’Connor
O’Connor has only made the third round on the Euro Tour once in his last ten played. His overall form is six wins from his last ten and he played pretty well in his 6-2 win over Paul Krohne yesterday.
Nijman has won seven of his last ten matches and has a seasonal win rate of 82%, he has won six titles in 2026, including a Euro Tour title.
Their H2H record is 3-0 to Nijman, 6-4, 6-1 and 6-4. Nijman is the 1.33 favourite and it is hard to see the odds being wrong here. No bet.
2026 International Darts Open R2 Tip: No Bet
Josh Rock vs. Cameron Menzies
Menzies just about beat Michael Unterbuchner 6-5 yesterday and he has won six of his last ten matches, but his form is all over the place and he is hard to predict.
Josh Rock won the Austrian Darts Open two weeks ago and he is now free of PL duties, duties that meant getting beaten, a lot. In his last eleven Euro Tour events, Rock has reached three finals, a semi-final, two quarter finals and won eight second round matches. He has lost six of his last ten matches and hasn’t played great.
Their H2H record is 4-4, with Rock winning three of their last four. They have played twice on the Euro Tour, both winning one and both ending 6-5. They have had four other matches ending 6-3, and it is hard to call this one. Rock is the 1.44 fav, but Menzies is being backed as the 2.80 outsider.
I suspect that with the PL behind him, Rock will be a more relaxed, happier player, and he should win this, but the odds are of no interest. No bet.
