Darts European Championship: Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen suffer shock early exits

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Michael van Gerwen & Gerwyn PriceImage source, Getty Images
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Van Gerwen has three world titles and four European titles while Price has one world title and has never won the European championship

Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen suffered shock first-round defeats at the European Championship in Dortmund.

World number two Price lost 6-4 to Austria's Rowby-John Rodriguez, ranked 65 places below him.

"I'm shaking. I can't believe I've beaten the world number two," Rodriguez told ITV 4.

Van Gerwen, the world number three, lost 6-5 to Chris Dobey, having beat the Englishman in all 11 of their previous meetings.

Wales' Price was under pressure from Rodriguez throughout and the Austrian secured victory with a 100 finish after the 2021 world champion missed two darts at tops.

Rodriguez will meet world number one and reigning world champion Peter Wright, who beat Ryan Meikle 6-2 on Friday, in round two.

Three-time world champion Van Gerwen had come from 4-2 down to lead Dobey 5-4 but missed four match darts in the next leg to send the match to a decider, which Dobey won with an 11-darter.

Reigning European champion Rob Cross was knocked out by James Wade in the opening round on Thursday.

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