Stephen Bunting turned his Premier League campaign around in dramatic fashion, securing victory in Berlin after a challenging start to the series. Having failed to win a single match in the first eight rounds, Bunting finally broke his losing streak with a crucial win over Nathan Aspinall. He then built on that momentum with an impressive victory over Luke Humphries before edging out Gerwyn Price 6-5 in a tense final.
While it was a night to remember for Bunting, it was a disappointing one for Luke Littler. The teenager, who has been dominant throughout the competition, suffered an early exit after struggling with his finishing in a 6-2 defeat to Chris Dobey. Despite this setback, Littler still maintains a comfortable lead in the overall standings.
Elsewhere, Humphries got off to a strong start by defeating Rob Cross but was unable to maintain his form and fell to a 6-2 defeat against the resurgent Bunting. Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen was absent from the event due to a shoulder injury, which resulted in Price receiving a bye into the semi-finals. The Welshman took full advantage of his direct passage, producing a commanding 6-2 victory over Dobey to set up his shot at a third nightly win.
The final proved to be a tense and closely contested affair, though it did not reach the highest levels of quality. The first six legs all went against the throw, with neither player able to gain an early foothold. Bunting finally managed to hold his throw with a 96 checkout, but Price responded by breaking again to take a 5-4 lead. With the opportunity to seal the win, Price missed two match darts, visibly frustrated by some noise from the crowd.
Bunting capitalized on the mistake, leveling the match before delivering a spectacular 107 checkout to secure victory. Overcome with emotion, he reflected on the significance of the win, expressing relief at finally getting points on the board after weeks of frustration.
“After the first win, I was so relieved just to get off zero points. I’ve put in so much effort behind the scenes, giving my all every week. Tonight, I’ve won an event, and I’m so happy. It’s such a special moment,” he said.
He admitted that doubts had crept in throughout the campaign, wondering if he might finish without a single point. However, the Berlin triumph has given him a renewed sense of confidence as he looks to build momentum in the final stages of the competition.
Despite the victory, Bunting remains at the bottom of the Premier League table. Meanwhile, Price’s run to the final sees him climb to third place as the series moves on to Manchester for the next round of action.
