2026 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Preview

James has already posted his outright betting preview for ET14, see that here. Check out James Punt’s 2026 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 preview and tips below.

Niels Zonneveld vs. Bradley Brooks

Zonneveld is our outsider outright selection for the tournament and it is not ideal to be opening the show. Friday afternoons can be a bit of a graveyard shift, especially in the opening match.

Brooks has played in three Euro Tour events in 2026 and has a 100% record in the first round. He is in OK form, winning five of his last ten matches.

Zonneveld is in good form, winning seven of his last ten matches and playing some great darts. He has won ten of his thirteen first round matches.

Their H2H record is 3-3 and it was Brooks who won their only match in 2026. That was a 6-1 win on the floor in August. Their only other match at senior level was a 6-5 for Zonneveld last year.

This a potential banana skin for Zonneveld. Brooks can be anything. His A game is top level, but his consistency is not great. Zonneveld has been playing with a good deal of consistency of late, and hopefully he can justify odds of 1.62. No bet.

2026 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: No Bet

Sebastian Bialecki vs. Karel Sedlacek

This a huge game for two players hoping to qualify for the European Championship. Bialecki is in 34th place on the Euro Tour O.O.M, Sedlacek 35th. They have this, and next week’s Dutch Darts Championship, to garner as much ranking money as they can. One of them will take a step further forward today, but which one?

Sedlacek comes here on the back of winning PC30 a couple of weeks ago. He has won eight of his last ten matches and has played some great stuff, but he isn’t the most consistent of players. On the Euro Tour he has won five from nine first round matches. He has played Bialecki seven times and won five. However, they have not met since 2022 and they have never played a best of eleven leg match.

Underrated

Bialecki is an improving player and is somewhat underrated. He has won five of his last ten matches at senior level. He has won four of his six first round matches and reached the semi-final of the European Darts Open in July. He is not as strong in the scoring department and Evil Charlie is the better player, but there isn’t a huge amount in it.

Sedlacek is the 1.83 favourite, Bialecki 2.00. Both players are going to be nervous and it might not be pretty, but it should be close.

2026 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 1.95 with Boylesports

Joe Cullen vs. Tom Bissell

An interesting matchup. Joe Cullen is a multiple Euro Tour title winner and a very experienced player. Bissell has only played in four Euro Tour events and lost three of his first-round matches. His recent form is poor, losing six of his last ten matches.

Joe Cullen is a player who has huge swings in form over the course of a season, and he does have a tendency to think he is better than he is. He was ranked 11th at the end of the 2021 season, but now he is struggling to stay inside the top 32. Cullen has won just three of his last ten matches and hit five sub 90 averages.

Two players in poor form is always a tricky one. At least Cullen has a fairly good first round record on the Euro Tour, winning eight of his thirteen first round matches.

Their H2H record extends to just one match, a 6-2 win for Bissell back in February. Bissell is being backed and is into 1.91, Cullen can be backed at 1.95. I would want more than 1.91 before backing Bissell, but I couldn’t back Cullen given his recent form. No bet.

2026 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: No Bet

Cameron Menzies vs. Cristo Reyes

Both players are provisional qualifiers for the European Championship. Menzies looks safe enough at 26th, but Reyes is only 30th and he needs more ranking prizemoney to ensure his place.

Menzies is in good form, having won PC29 a couple of weeks ago. He has won seven of his last ten matches but he has lost six of his thirteen Euro Tour first round matches.

Reyes has to pre-qualify for these events and he has made it to ten Euro Tours in 2026. He has lost six first round matches, and the last six in a row. His overall recent form is four wins from his last ten matches but he is scoring well with eight 94+ averages and three ton plus, but he will be feeling nervous here.

H2H

Their H2H record is 2-0 to Menzies and he beat Reyes 8-5 in the final of PC23.

I am thinking that Reyes will be aware that he has lost in the opening round in his last six Euro Tour events, and that his chances of making the Finals have been slipping away. Menzies will be feeling a lot happier, and he has good memories of the last time he played Reyes.

2026 Swiss Darts Trophy R1 Tip: 1 point Cameron Menzies to win @ 2.00 with BET365

Back with the Evening Session bets later this afternoon.

-JamesPunt