Ross Smith claimed the Hungarian Darts Trophy in emphatic style, routing Gary Anderson 8-2 in Sunday's final to land a second European Tour title of the year. Smith averaged 101 and converted 73 per cent of his attempts at a double in a near-flawless closing display at the MVM Dome, giving Anderson no way back into a contest that slipped away from the veteran almost immediately and sealing a fourth win of the day for the champion. Smith had been the tournament's model of scoring control from the first day of his involvement, opening with a 101 average against William O'Connor that featured 116 and 112 checkouts.
He then saw off fourth seed Jonny Clayton 6-4 in the last 16 before dismantling 2023 champion Dave Chisnall 6-2 in a quarter-final that guaranteed a first-time winner of this title. His semi-final was the most one-sided match of the weekend's business end, with last year's runner-up Danny Noppert swept aside 7-3 in a clinical display that gave Smith the fresher legs for the final. Anderson's run, although he was vanquished in the final, ends as the story of the weekend all the same.
The two-time world champion had arrived in Budapest without a European Tour win in 2026 and opened with a statement, a 105.27 average in a 6-2 dismantling of Krzysztof Ratajski that ended the Pole's bid for back-to-back European Tour titles. What followed was an escalating sequence of escapes. Anderson hit eight 180s in recovering from 3-0 down to edge eighth seed Stephen Bunting in a deciding leg, then repeated the trick against second seed Gian van Veen in a quarter-final thriller.
The Scottish veteran then won the match of the tournament against Nathan Aspinall, staring down five match darts in a 7-6 epic and conjuring a 160 checkout simply to stay alive, before the final proved one test too many. The title decider crowned a finals day of upsets that began with Aspinall knocking out Michael van Gerwen 6-4 in the last 16, recovering from 3-1 down in a match of nervy doubles to end the 2024 champion's bid for a second crown. That came a day after top seed Luke Humphries and defending champion Niko Springer had fallen, meaning the tournament's past two winners both exited before the final session.
Aspinall's weekend, prior to meeting Anderson, was a study in finding a way through matches where he couldn't find his best form. Out-averaged by Ryan Joyce in his opening match, he came through on five 180s and sheer volume of chances at a double – and his quarter-final against Chris Dobey turned on a 156 checkout before he edged another deciding leg. Dobey had comebacks of his own to look back on, recovering from 4-0 down to beat Tom Sykes in a decider on Saturday before closing Sunday's afternoon session by reeling in a 170 finish to see off sixth seed Josh Rock 6-3.
Dirk van Duijvenbode ended a nine-match losing run against Humphries on Saturday and was the first man into the quarter-finals, beating Rob Cross 6-4 to end the former world champion's run of successive deciding-leg escapes, before Noppert halted him 6-5. Springer's title defence had lasted just 14 minutes against Ryan Searle on Saturday, the German missing the bull for a 164 that would have forced a decider, and with Humphries, Van Gerwen and Clayton also gone by Sunday afternoon, Van Veen stood as the highest seed left until Anderson took him out too. Sunday August 30FinalRoss Smith 8-2 Gary AndersonSemi-FinalsRoss Smith 7-3 Danny NoppertGary Anderson 7-6 Nathan AspinallQuarter-FinalsDanny Noppert 6-5 Dirk van DuijvenbodeRoss Smith 6-2 Dave ChisnallGary Anderson 6-5 Gian van VeenNathan Aspinall 6-5 Chris DobeyRound ThreeDirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Rob CrossDanny Noppert 6-4 Ryan SearleRoss Smith 6-4 Jonny ClaytonDave Chisnall 6-2 Keane BarryGian van Veen 6-3 Jermaine WattimenaGary Anderson 6-5 Stephen BuntingNathan Aspinall 6-4 Michael van GerwenChris Dobey 6-3 Josh Rock Saturday August 29Round TwoAfternoon Session - 12pmRoss Smith 6-2 William O'ConnorDave Chisnall 6-2 Wessel NijmanJermaine Wattimena 6-4 Andrew GildingDanny Noppert 6-4 Ritchie EdhouseRyan Searle 6-4 Niko SpringerRob Cross 6-5 Luke WoodhouseGary Anderson 6-2 Krzysztof RatajskiChris Dobey 6-5 Tom Sykes Evening Session - 6pmStephen Bunting 6-1 Jonas MasalinJonny Clayton 6-3 Laszlo KadarKeane Barry 6-2 Madars RazmaDirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Luke HumphriesMichael van Gerwen 6-4 James HurrellGian van Veen 6-0 Nandor MajorNathan Aspinall 6-4 Ryan JoyceJosh Rock 6-0 Joe Cullen Friday August 28Round OneAfternoon SessionJonas Masalin 6-4 Kevin DoetsAndrew Gilding 6-0 Milan BiroRitchie Edhouse 6-1 Connor ScuttNiko Springer 6-1 Maik KuivenhovenWilliam O'Connor 6-2 Samuel PriceKeane Barry 6-2 Martin SchindlerRyan Joyce 6-3 Cristo ReyesDave Chisnall 6-3 Andras Borbely Evening SessionDirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 David PisekLaszlo Kadar 6-5 Daryl GurneyKrzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Callan RydzJoe Cullen 6-3 Adam LeekRob Cross 6-5 Beau GreavesNandor Major 6-5 Niels ZonneveldTom Sykes 6-1 Cameron MenziesJames Hurrell 6-5 Damon Heta Who will win this year's BoyleSports World Grand Prix?
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