Bunting Begins Defence at International Darts Open Riesa

Stephen Bunting starts his international darts open riesa title defence against either Krzysztof Ratajski or Cristo Reyes when the event returns to Riesa from May 22-24. The defending champion is back in a 48-player field chasing the £35,000 top prize.

Bunting and the Riesa draw

Bunting’s opening path is set by the first round, with Friday carrying 16 matches before the top 16 seeds join the tournament on Saturday. He will not meet a seeded player straight away, but the draw still leaves him with a first-round test against either Ratajski or Reyes.

That puts the title holder in the first match-up of his defence before the bracket tightens in the second round. Bunting is trying to become just the sixth player in history to successfully defend a European Tour title, which makes the first step in Riesa more than a routine opener.

Van Gerwen, Price, and Van Veen

The second round brings the biggest names into the event. Michael van Gerwen starts against either Madars Razma or Hungarian qualifier György Jehirszki, Gerwyn Price opens against Ryan Joyce or Jeffrey Sparidaans, and Gian van Veen meets Connor Scutt or Finn Behrens.

Other seeded paths are already laid out. James Wade could meet Dave Chisnall in the second round, Josh Rock waits for either Cameron Menzies or Michael Unterbuchner, and Ryan Searle has been drawn against either Niko Springer or Charlie Manby.

First-round pressure in Riesa

The opening day has its own weight before the seeds arrive. Niko Springer plays Charlie Manby, Rob Cross faces Dirk van Duijvenbode, Kim Huybrechts meets Daryl Gurney, and Kevin Doets begins against Tom Bissell. Andrew Gilding draws Bradley Brooks, Joe Cullen meets Chris Landman, Dave Chisnall opens against host nation qualifier Liam Maendl-Lawrance, and Ricardo Pietreczko faces Maik Kuivenhoven.

The bracket also sets up Martin Schindler’s start on home soil against either Karel Sedlacek or Johan Engstrom, Mike De Decker’s meeting with either Dirk van Duijvenbode or Rob Cross, and Wessel Nijman’s opening against William O'Connor or Paul Krohne. For Bunting, the immediate task is simpler: get through the first hurdle and keep his title defence alive before Saturday reshapes the field.