Smith dazzles and van Veen sets up Anderson clash on day one at the European Darts Grand Prix.

Ross Smith’s brilliant performance on Day One in Sindelfingen stole the show, and Gian van Veen will face the defending champion Gary Anderson in the second round of the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Grand Prix.

Van Veen, who had a mid-match burst to deny Nathan Rafferty and set up a thrilling matchup with Anderson, was one of 16 first-round winners on a long day of first-round play.

Although Smith, a former European Champion, gave the best performance of the day in the Glaspalast, the World Youth Champion defeated Rafferty 6-3.

Smith destroyed Host Nation representative Paul Krohne in six legs with an average of 108.65, and he will rekindle his battle with Dave Chisnall for a spot in the last 16.

“I will take that all day long,” reflected Smith, who has won his last four meetings against the St Helens star.

“It didn’t feel like a 108 average in a million years, but I’m really happy with that, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow now.”

Smith was defeated by Martin Schindler in last weekend’s Austrian Darts Open, and the German number one is also off to a winning start at home.

Schindler began his quest for back-to-back European Tour titles with a hard-fought 6-3 victory over Callan Rydz, firing off three consecutive legs to secure his second round ticket.

The rest of the German contingent in Sindelfingen had varied results, with Leon Weber and Daniel Klose joining Schindler in the second round on Saturday.

Weber made his European Tour debut with a 6-3 victory against Ryan Joyce, while Klose beat a sluggish Jermaine Wattimena by the same scoreline.

Schindler’s old World Cup teammates, Gabriel Clemens and Max Hopp, were eliminated in the first round, losing to Andrew Gilding and Mike De Decker, respectively.

Gilding averaged 100.47 to hold off Clemens’ courageous comeback, while World Grand Prix winner De Decker overcame a 3-0 deficit to deny Hopp his dream return to the European Tour.

Joe Cullen and Cameron Menzies easily defeated Marcel Erba and Michael Unterbuchner.

Dirk van Duijvenbode, Raymond van Barneveld, Wessel Nijman, and Niels Zonneveld enjoyed strong starts at the Glaspalast, advancing to the last 32 alongside fellow countryman Van Veen.

Van Duijvenbode resumed his resurgence with a 6-2 triumph over William O’Connor, converting six of his eight doubles chances.

Van Barneveld raced to the end for his third straight victory over Poland’s number one Krzysztof Ratajski, and his reward will be a second round match against 2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price.

Nijman dismissed former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks in his opening, then Zonneveld capitalised on Ryan Searle’s dismal doubling performance to secure a 6-1 victory.

Connor Scutt won his first European Tour title at the seventh try, punishing European Champion Ritchie Edhouse’s poor play to win 6-2.

In Friday’s curtain-raiser, Martin Lukeman overcame Slovenia’s Benjamin Pratnemer by the same score, while Luke Woodhouse, who defeated Sweden’s Johan Engstrom 6-3, increased his chances of qualifying for World Matchplay.

With reigning champion Anderson returning to European Tour play, the 16 PDC Order of Merit Qualifiers will now enter the fray in Saturday’s second round.

While three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen faces Van Duijvenbode in an all-Dutch match, world number one Luke Humphries will face Scutt.

Smith dazzles and van Veen sets up Anderson clash on day one at the European Darts Grand Prix.

Martin Lukeman 6-3 Benjamin Pratnemer

Cameron Menzies 6-2 Michael Unterbuchner

Wessel Nijman 6-2 Bradley Brooks

Gian van Veen 6-3 Nathan Rafferty

Connor Scutt 6-2 Ritchie Edhouse

Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Johan Engstrom

Leon Weber 6-3 Ryan Joyce

Evening Session

Daniel Klose 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena

Niels Zonneveld 6-1 Ryan Searle

Joe Cullen 6-0 Marcel Erba

Mike De Decker 6-4 Max Hopp

Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Krzysztof Ratajski

Andrew Gilding 6-5 Gabriel Clemens

Martin Schindler 6-3 Callan Rydz

Ross Smith 6-0 Paul Krohne

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 William O’Connor