Aspinall makes emphatic start to European Open title defence as Schmidt's run continues

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aspinall-nathan/KURJJrU5/"]Aspinall[/a] averaged more than 107 in a professional display, dropping just one leg as he booked a third-round meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-ross/l8mIsYNm/"]Ross Smith[/a].[/p][p][b]"People keep thinking I've retired," [/b]Aspinall joked after his match. [/p][p][b]"Mickey played well, but I felt so relaxed tonight. I think the thought of watching England (in the FIFA World Cup) later made me relax.[/b][/p][p]"It’s a great win, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow (Sunday).[/p][p][b]"I knew I had a tough game in Mickey. He plays his way, but it didn’t affect me. I’m just very happy with the win.”[/b][/p][embed guid="59f27b6d-1aaa-4c06-a596-6f34dda70709" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2076039039879200963?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schmidt-jan/djlwpSo3/"]Schmidt[/a], who fought back from 5-1 down to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/menzies-cameron/2NUpDqVt/"]Cameron Menzies[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/darts-european-tour-10-schmidt-produces-stunning-comeback-against-menzies-on-day-one-in-leverkusen/WYyQgqqI/"]on Friday[/a], followed it up by edging past Belgium's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-decker-mike/ARzd8nfD/"]Mike De Decker[/a] in a deciding leg to continue the best run of his career.[/p][p][b]"I will take what I get. For me, it’s not important who my opponent is,"[/b] Schmidt said.[/p][p][b]"I try to play my game; I play against the best players in the world, and we’ll see tomorrow."[/b][/p][embed guid="3756d0a9-cb57-4702-9aa2-061bc9ae4b38" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2075915832773771417?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 21-year-old will now face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wade-james/MRrXjBAB/"]James Wade[/a], who defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kuivenhoven-maik/OOFQaEkA/"]Maik Kuivenhoven[/a] 6-4.[/p][p]Top seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-veen-gian/jgT1AT29/"]Gian van Veen[/a] opened his campaign with a 6-3 victory over home favourite [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/springer-niko/t6zcTJUa/"]Niko Springer[/a], as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ratajski-krzysztof/jNZjSeIT/"]Krzysztof Ratajski[/a] beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hopp-max/O0XAR4zC/"]Max Hopp[/a] to earn a meeting with the Dutchman.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodhouse-luke/QyQzAjPh/"]Luke Woodhouse[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wattimena-jermaine/0hcDtau6/"]Jermaine Wattimena[/a] both progressed without dropping a leg, defeating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/horvat-dragutin/fRgT1ecJ/"]Dragutin Horvat[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huybrechts-kim/OQVnQ1fc/"]Kim Huybrechts[/a], respectively.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clayton-jonny/tx0y2xRD/"]Jonny Clayton[/a] eased past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sedlacek-karel/MgQ7sJG9/"]Karel Sedlacek[/a] to set up a meeting with Woodhouse, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joyce-ryan/tYs5VMm6/"]Ryan Joyce[/a] overcame [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a] to book a tie against Wattimena.[/p][image alt="Nijman celebrates" id="c73d0234-6131-4f14-b369-1dc8f0e69084" credit-line="Sebastian Doppstadt / PDC Europe" guid="8fe5f1dd-0a24-4b9f-ad95-20325547d99f" original-width="3500" original-height="2333" /][p]Elsewhere, ProTour leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nijman-wessel/xCX137Ee/"]Wessel Nijman[/a] whitewashed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brooks-bradley/6k0LXD78/"]Bradley Brooks[/a] to set up an all-Dutch clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-duijvenbode-dirk/fVUrttSI/"]Dirk van Duijvenbode[/a], who beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dobey-chris/dWj1FjDn/"]Chris Dobey[/a] 6-2.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]Michael van Gerwen[/a] also advanced, producing vintage finishes of 142 and 130 in a 6-2 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cullen-joe/A5nTHxhe/"]Joe Cullen[/a] to earn a meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heta-damon/GYfQQCI6/"]Damon Heta[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doets-kevin/I14LCcyQ/"]Kevin Doets[/a] defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schindler-martin/pWemrnqQ/"]Martin Schindler[/a] to complete the last-16 line-up.[/p][h2]Results[/h2][p][b]Round two - afternoon[/b][/p][p]Damon Heta 6-4 Rob Owen[/p][p]Jan Schmidt 6-5 Mike De Decker[/p][p]Luke Woodhouse 6-0 Dragutin Horvat[/p][p]Sebastian Bialecki 6-3 Danny Noppert[/p][p]Jermaine Wattimena 6-0 Kim Huybrechts[/p][p]Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Chris Dobey[/p][p]Wessel Nijman 6-0 Bradley Brooks[/p][p]Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Max Hopp[/p][p][b]Round two - evening[/b][/p][p]Ryan Joyce 6-4 Stephen Bunting[/p][p]James Wade 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven[/p][p]Jonny Clayton 6-1 Karel Sedlacek[/p][p]Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Joe Cullen[/p][p]Gian van Veen 6-3 Niko Springer[/p][p]Kevin Doets 6-3 Martin Schindler[/p][p]Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Mickey Mansell[/p][p]Ross Smith 6-1 Niels Zonneveld[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/darts/europe/european-tour-10/"]Catch up on ET10 with Flashscore here![/a][/h2]