JELLE KLAASEN recorded a first win over world number two Peter Wright in more than five years to progress to the Last 16 of the European Darts Trophy, as the European Tour event continued in Gottingen on Saturday.
Klaasen - who became a father for the second time earlier in the week - defeated Wright 6-3 to end a 12-game losing run against the Scot and seal his place in this month's Unibet European Championship in Dortmund.
The Dutchman raced into a 4-1 lead before Wright rallied to reduce the deficit to 5-3, but it was to be Klaasen's night as the former World Championship semi-finalist pinned double top for his biggest win of a tough 2018.
"It's a great feeling for me because Peter has beaten me so many times before," said Klaasen, who will take on Martin Schindler in Sunday's third round.
"I always miss doubles against him and give him chances but this time I took my own chances and that was the difference tonight.
"It's going to take a while to get back to my best, but I'm feeling good and my confidence is coming back."
German crowd favourite Schindler, who guaranteed qualification for European Championship with win over Luke Woodhouse on Friday, raised the roof at the Lokhalle with a stunning 6-0 demolition of Mervyn King.
Schindler's World Cup of Darts partner Max Hopp ensured there would be two German players competing in the final day of action thanks to a 6-5 win over Krzysztof Ratajski.
German number one Hopp endured a nervy end to his match with determined Pole Ratajski, but Hopp eventually found the winning double at the seventh attempt to set up a tie with World Champion Rob Cross, who produced a classy 124 finish on the bullseye to see off Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4.
World number one Michael van Gerwen began his charge for an eight European Tour title of the year with a 6-2 triumph over fellow-Dutchman Vincent van der Voort, and he will now take on Stephen Bunting.
Top performer of the second day, Bunting was firing on all cylinders as he struck five 180s and produced a 103.1 average to power his way past Mickey Mansell 6-2.
Steve Beaton over-turned his defeat to Gerwyn Price at the World Grand Prix with a tension-filled 6-5 victory over the Welshman.
For the second game in succession, Beaton survived a match-dart before finding the winning double with his last dart in hand to book a meeting with fifth seed Michael Smith, who proved too strong for Finland's Marko Kantele and ran out a convincing 6-1 winner.
James Wade, who joined Klaasen in celebrating the birth of a baby boy this week as he became a father for the first time, struck three ton-plus finishes in his 6-4 win over Toni Alcinas, including a match-winning 121 to defy the Spaniard's fightback.
Wade will now play Darren Webster, whose ruthless display saw him miss just one dart at double in his 6-3 win over Ricky Evans.
World number five Daryl Gurney ended Luke Humphries' European Championship hopes with a 6-3 win and he will now face Matt Edgar, who edged past Joe Cullen 6-5.
Dave Chisnall survived two match-darts and found double top with his last dart in hand to seal a narrow 6-5 victory over Ryan Joyce and he will now meet John Henderson, whose five maximums helped him claim a 6-4 victory over Dutch Darts Championship winner Ian White.
Richard North moved a step closer to a Dortmund appearance with a 6-4 triumph over International Darts Open finalist Simon Whitlock, and he will face Austrian Darts Open champion Jonny Clayton, who missed just two darts at double in his 6-2 defeat of Germany's Gabriel Clemens.
Today's results also saw Kyle Anderson and Cristo Reyes confirm their places at the European Championship.
Sunday will see the last 16 ties played in the afternoon session before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the evening, with coverage to be streamed from 1pm and 7.15pm local time.
The European Darts Trophy will be broadcast throughout the weekend for PDCTV-HD Subscribers, and through a series of bookmakers' websites worldwide.
Saturday October 13
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1pm local time, 12pm BST)
Matthew Edgar 6-5 Joe Cullen
Michael Smith 6-1 Marko Kantele
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Ryan Joyce
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Mickey Mansell
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Luke Humphries
Richard North 6-4 Simon Whitlock
John Henderson 6-4 Ian White
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Gabriel Clemens
Evening Session (7.15pm local time, 6.15pm BST)
Martin Schindler 6-0 Mervyn King
Steve Beaton 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Darren Webster 6-3 Ricky Evans
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Peter Wright
James Wade 6-4 Toni Alcinas
Max Hopp 6-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Rob Cross 6-4 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Sunday October 14
Afternoon Session (1pm local time, 12pm BST)
Third Round
Michael van Gerwen v Stephen Bunting
Matthew Edgar v Daryl Gurney
Michael Smith v Steve Beaton
John Henderson v Dave Chisnall
Jelle Klaasen v Martin Schindler
Jonny Clayton v Richard North
James Wade v Darren Webster
Rob Cross v Max Hopp
Evening Session (7.15pm local time, 6.15pm BST)
Quarter-Finals
Van Gerwen/Bunting v Edgar/Gurney
Smith/Beaton v Henderson/Chisnall
Klaasen/Schindler v Clayton/North
Wade/Webster v Cross/Hopp
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order.
Watch Online
PDC European Tour events can be watched online by all PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide - click here to visit PDCTV-HD.
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