Stephen Bunting won his second World Series title of 2025 with victory over Rob Cross in the Nordic Darts Masters as he avenged his loss to the same player in January’s Dutch Darts Masters final.
Cross had beaten Bunting 8-5 in Den Bosch five months ago but was overpowered 8-4 by The Bullet in Copenhagen on Saturday evening as the world No 4 backed up his triumph at the Bahrain Darts Masters at the start of the year.
Bunting won five legs in row from 3-2 down – including holding throw with a 104 checkout to extend his lead to 5-3 – and then nailed double eight to wrap up victory and ensure Cross finished runner-up at this event for the second year running.
Rob Cross was beaten in the Nordic Darts Masters final for tjr second year running
Cross lost 8-5 to Gerwyn Price in the 2024 final and was able to exact a slice of revenge by defeating the Welshman 7-4 in the semi-finals this time around.
Nathan Aspinall was the other beaten semi-finalist, downed 7-5 by Bunting as the Bullet finally converted an 11th match dart having earlier raced into a 6-1 lead.
Aspinall was at least able to secure just a second win in 16 attempts against reigning world champion Luke Littler, seeing off the teenager 6-3 in the quarter-finals.
World No 1 Luke Humphries ran into an inspired Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals
World No 1 and new Premier League champion Luke Humphries was also dumped out in the last eight, losing 6-3 to Price as the Iceman record a tournament-record average of 108.
Cross whitewashed Chris Dobey 6-0 at the same stage and eventual winner Bunting got the better of Jonny Clayton 6-3.
The World Series continues in New York across June 27-28, before further events in Poland, Australia and New Zealand ahead of the tournament finals in the Netherlands in September.
Bunting ‘proud’ after period of ‘atrocious’ doubling’
Bunting, who finished bottom of the Premier League table this season, told ITV4 after his victory: “The way I have been playing I was wondering whether I was going to win another title again!
“My doubling has been atrocious the last few months. It is something I need to work on but when you win titles like this, against the calibre of players I face week in, week out, it means an awful lot.
“I am really proud of myself and believe I am a deserved winner.
Bunting was the top seed in Denmark after a superb start to the 2025 World Series
“I love coming to Copenhagen, the crowd have been fantastic, and hopefully I can be involved in the World Series for a few years yet. I seem to be playing my best darts in it and long may that continue.”
Cross added: “It wasn’t meant to be for me.
“I probably ran out of a little bit of steam but credit to Stephen. He was brilliant and I didn’t have in in the end.
“The intensity this week killed me, I wanted to win so bad. But this crowd in Copenhagen was buzzing. I would love to do it again next year.”
Full Nordic Darts Masters results
Saturday June 7
Final
- Stephen Bunting 8-4 Rob Cross
Semi-finals
- Stephen Bunting 7-5 Nathan Aspinall
- Rob Cross 7-4 Gerwyn Price
Quarter-finals
- Stephen Bunting 6-3 Jonny Clayton
- Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Luke Littler
- Rob Cross 6-0 Chris Dobey
- Gerwyn Price 6-3 Luke Humphries
Friday June 6
Last 16
- Chris Dobey 6-2 Jeffrey de Graaf
- Gerwyn Price 6-3 Cor Dekker
- Rob Cross 6-4 Andreas Harrysson
- Luke Humphries 6-5 Madars Razma
- Nathan Aspinall 6-0 Benjamin Reus
- Luke Littler 6-3 Viktor Tingstrom
- Stephen Bunting 6-3 Oskar Lukasiak
- Jonny Clayton 6-5 Darius Labanauskas
Watch the World Cup of Darts on Sky Sports
Luke Humphries and Luke Littler will team up for England at the World Cup of Darts, live on Sky Sports from June 12-15
The World Cup of Darts, from June 12-15 in Frankfurt, is live on Sky Sports as Humphries and Littler look to retain the title for England, after Humphries and Michael Smith triumphed last year.
Sky Sports will also show the World Matchplay in Blackpool from July 19-27, with Humphries out to defend his crown after beating Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in the 2024 final at the Winter Gardens.
The Women’s World Matchplay, on July 27, will also be broadcast live.
