Rydz runs riot in European Tour double header as the qualifiers are confirmed for ET9 & ET10 

Callan Rydz, Martin Lukeman, Mensur Suljovic, and Ian White stole the show in style on Friday afternoon, each completing a European Tour qualification double in Leicester to secure spots in both ET9 (Baltic Sea Darts Open) and ET10 (Flanders Darts Trophy).

A field of 90 players descended on the Mattioli Arena for a high-stakes double-header of Tour Card Holder Qualifiers, with 10 spots available per event.

Rydz produced some of his best darts of the year to storm through both qualifiers. He won six straight matches to seal double qualification, including a brilliant 106 average in his penultimate ET10 match against Alan Soutar.

Martin Lukeman, a Grand Slam finalist in 2022, showed nerves of steel throughout the day, navigating four deciding-leg matches while also dispatching Irish duo William O’Connor and Dylan Slevin in style.

Veteran names Mensur Suljovic and Ian White—both former three-time European Tour champions—also impressed with resurgent displays. The experienced duo rolled back the clock, showing flashes of the form that once had them ranked among the world’s elite.

Ratajski Headlines ET9 Qualifiers

Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski topped the performance charts in the ET9 Qualifier, firing a scintillating 108 average and following it up with a tight win over Adam Warner to book his ticket to Kiel, where the Baltic Sea Darts Open will take place from July 11–13.

Ratajski will be joined by fellow countrymen Sebastian Bialecki and Tytus Kanik, while Andy Baetens came through an all-Belgian affair against Kim Huybrechts to earn his European Tour spot.

There was late drama for Ryan Meikle, who staged a superb comeback to deny Niko Springer a chance to play in front of a home crowd in Kiel. Meanwhile, Justin Hood secured a career milestone by qualifying for his European Tour debut.

ET10: Dominant Displays and Debuts

While Rydz, Lukeman, Suljovic, and White completed their double, German number two Ricardo Pietreczko was equally impressive in the ET10 Qualifier, dropping just one leg across three commanding wins.

Former Lakeside Champion Christian Kist also made headlines, averaging just under 104 in a high-quality finale against Dominik Gruellich to book his place at the Flanders Darts Trophy, scheduled for August 29–31 in Antwerp.

Ireland’s Steve Lennon halted Ratajski’s five-match winning streak with a superb all-round display, while Jeffrey de Graaf (Sweden) and Leon Weber (Germany) won nail-biting last-leg encounters to seal their tickets to Belgium.

Karel Sedlacek, fresh from a World Cup quarter-final appearance for the Czech Republic, rounded off the ET10 lineup with a composed campaign that never looked in doubt.

Disappointment for Edhouse

It was a frustrating day for European Champion Ritchie Edhouse, who suffered back-to-back defeats to Bialecki in both qualifiers, narrowly missing out on appearances at both Kiel and Antwerp.

Format and Looking Ahead

The European Tour format sees 16 seeded players from the PDC Order of Merit enter in the last 32. The first round features 16 ProTour qualifiers drawn against the 16 Tour Card Holder and Associate Member qualifiers, making for an unpredictable and often thrilling opening day.

With just two more European Tour events left before the qualification race for major tournaments like the World Matchplay and European Championship heats up, the pressure will continue to mount on those looking to make a late-season charge.

Rydz runs riot in European Tour double header as the qualifiers are confirmed for ET9 & ET10 

ET9 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers: Justin Hood, Sebastian Bialecki, Krzysztof Ratajski, Ryan Meikle, Andy Baetens, Martin Lukeman, Tytus Kanik, Callan Rydz, Mensur Suljovic, Ian White.

ET10 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers: Leon Weber, Ricardo Pietreczko, Steve Lennon, Mensur Suljovic, Martin Lukeman, Jeffrey de Graaf, Callan Rydz, Karel Sedlacek, Ian White, Christian Kist.