Defending champion Luke Humphries ended Beau Greaves' historic run at the Czech Darts Open with a 6-2 victory on Saturday night. Luke Littler also won on his return to the European Tour in Prague, while there were round two wins for Michael van Gerwen, Gian van Veen and Gerwyn Price. However, Stephen Bunting suffered defeat to Luke Woodhouse in the final match of the day.
After Greaves became the first woman ever to win on the European Tour stage on Friday, Humphries ended the hopes of the young star, averaging just shy of 109 to book his place in the last 16. Greaves opened the contest with a 13-dart leg, before the world No 2 responded with legs of 12 and 14 of his own to lead early on. The resilience of the three-time Women's World Matchplay champion showed, as she closed the gap to just one with her second leg of the contest, before Humphries rattled off three consecutive legs to seal the victory.
Humphries said: "She's an amazing player, she pushed me all the way, it was a couple of bits towards the end of the match that got me through in the end. "She's just a great dart player. If I had lost today, I wouldn't have been disgraced, I would have lost to a really great dart player." Andrew Gilding will face off with Humphries on Sunday afternoon, as the former UK Open champion dispatched of Nathan Aspinall 6-2.
Littler's return to the European Tour stage was an impressive one, as he beat Germany's Niko Springer with a stunning 108.59 average. The world No 1, who was making his first big stage appearance since retaining the coveted World Matchplay title, raced into the final day of action, winning 6-4 and setting up a contest with Krzysztof Ratajski, who beat Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 in the opening game of the day. Van Veen ran away a 6-1 victor over Jeffrey De Graaf and will lock horns with Ross Smith in round three, as last week's Hungarian Darts Trophy winner looks to go back-to-back on the European Tour stage, after beating Stephen Burton 6-1.
Welsh duo Jonny Clayton and Price also advanced to the final day in Prague, as the pair beat Damon Heta and Callan Rydz respectively. Price will face off with Cameron Menzies after the Scotsman beat compatriot Gary Anderson 6-3, while Clayton will take on Keane Barry, who reached the final day with a 6-4 victory over the seeded Chris Dobey. Van Gerwen's bid for a maiden Czech Darts Open title continues, as he moved into round three with a 6-4 victory over Mario Vandenbogaerde.
He will now face fellow Dutchman Wessel Nijman in one of the standout ties of the afternoon. Nijman fought off Martin Schindler in the final game of Saturday's afternoon session, as the German pinned a brilliant 170 checkout, before missing a crucial big number in the decider to allow Nijman to snatch victory. Northern Irishman Josh Rock will do battle with Irishman William O'Connor, as the pair beat Ryan Joyce and Ryan Searle respectively to book their places in round three.
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