Cameron Menzies Stuns Raymond van Barneveld in 6-3 Rout as Three Former Champions Exit European Darts Grand Prix
The opening day of the European Darts Grand Prix delivered a reminder that form can turn the bracket upside down in a matter of legs. cameron menzies not only beat Raymond van Barneveld, he did it with a 104. 5 average and a late burst that exposed the fragile edge between survival and elimination. In Sindelfingen, that edge cut through established names too, with three former champions leaving the Glaspalast after a day that rewarded sharp finishing and punished hesitation.
Why cameron menzies changed the mood of the tournament
The result mattered immediately because it was not just a win, but a statement. Menzies closed a 6-3 victory with legs of 11, 13 and 13 darts, a sequence that transformed a competitive match into a decisive one. The performance also extended his winning run against van Barneveld to five straight matches, a detail that adds weight to the manner of the victory rather than simply the scoreline. For a player described in the match notes as producing a sparkling display, the value was in timing as much as scoring.
That is why cameron menzies became the day’s defining figure. When a player posts a 104. 5 average in the opening round, it changes expectations for the next stage and forces the rest of the draw to take notice. Menzies now moves into a round-two meeting with former European Champion Ross Smith, giving the event an early narrative centered on whether the same level can hold under new pressure.
Former champions fall as the draw opens up
The broader shape of the day was equally striking. Van Barneveld was not the only former World Champion to bow out, as Rob Cross and Peter Wright also exited in Sindelfingen. Cross, a European Darts Grand Prix champion in 2023, lost 6-2 to Mickey Mansell, who averaged 100. 32 and earned a meeting with Stephen Bunting. Wright, the 2017 winner, was beaten by Jeffrey de Zwaan, who now faces newly-crowned German Darts Grand Prix champion Nathan Aspinall.
Ian White, the 2019 champion, also left the Glaspalast after a 6-2 loss to Wessel Nijman. That cluster of early exits matters because it narrows the space for reputation alone to carry a player through a major European Tour event. In practical terms, it opens pathways for players who arrived with less attention but left day one with a stronger platform.
Joe Cullen, Dave Chisnall and the day’s other key progressions
Elsewhere, Joe Cullen advanced after overcoming a mid-game wobble and then closing with back-to-back 14-darters in a 6-1 win over Maik Kuivenhoven. He now faces top seed Gian van Veen. Dave Chisnall also progressed after a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Petr Krivka, setting up a notable clash with Gerwyn Price. Damon Heta was among the other players to move through the opening day, adding to a card that kept shifting momentum from one board to another.
The home crowd also had reasons to stay engaged. Michael Unterbuchner hit a hat-trick of ton-plus checkouts in a deciding-leg win over William O’Connor, and that second European Tour stage victory sets up a meeting with two-time champion Michael van Gerwen. German star Niko Springer, meanwhile, opened with a 6-1 win over newcomer Robin Masino and will next play defending champion Gary Anderson in one of the standout fixtures of the next round.
What the opening day suggests for the rest of the bracket
The clearest takeaway is that the draw has already become more unpredictable than it looked before the first dart. Heavy averages still mattered, but so did composure in the final phase of a match, as Menzies and Cullen showed in different ways. The opening day also underlined how quickly the tournament can lose established champions while giving others a route into marquee tie after marquee tie.
For cameron menzies, the question now is whether a sensational start can become a deeper run against Ross Smith. For the field, the early exits of Cross, Wright, White and van Barneveld change the competitive landscape in a way that may keep unfolding over the weekend. If the first day is any guide, who can absorb pressure best when the averages rise and the margins shrink?
