Ross Smith beat Joe Cullen 6-5 in the final second-round match of the 2026 Slovak Darts Open on Saturday night, completing the last-16 line-up in Bratislava.
Smith came through a deciding leg against Cullen at Incheba Expo after a tight contest that closed a busy evening session. The result means the Englishman moves into Sunday’s knockout stages, where the first Slovak Darts Open champion will be crowned.
The scoreline also keeps Smith’s strong 2026 running. He arrived in Slovakia as a seeded player after claiming a maiden European Tour title earlier this season and adding another Players Championship crown in June.
Smith survives as Slovak Darts Open field tightens
The final match followed an evening of close calls and notable exits. Michael van Gerwen and Ryan Joyce also advanced 6-5, while Rob Cross, Cameron Menzies and Nathan Aspinall booked their own places in the last 16.
For Cullen, the defeat ends a run that had started with a 6-3 win over Peter Kelemen on Friday. For Smith, it is another pressure-leg success in a season where his scoring power has repeatedly made him a threat deep into ProTour weekends.
DartsNews listed Smith’s 6-5 win over Cullen among the completed Saturday evening results, with Smith averaging 92.03 and Cullen averaging 96.63 in the session finale.
