Raymond van Barneveld avenges Hopp defeat in European Darts Matchplay

Raymond van Barneveld kicked off the European Darts Matchplay with a revenge win over Max Hopp on Friday, as Rowby-John Rodriguez kept Austrian hopes alive at the PDC European Tour event in Innsbruck.

German youngster Hopp had produced a thrilling display in last week's European Tour event in Muelheim, taking out two 161 checkouts in his victory over the five-time world champion.

Van Barneveld, though, produced an assured display as he avenged that loss and moved into the last 32 of the £115,000 tournament with a 6-3 victory.

The duo shared the opening four legs, including a 13-darter from Hopp, before Van Barneveld took out 100 and then broke with a 66 checkout for a 4-2 cushion.

Hopp hit back with a 180 in a 12-darter, but tops moved Van Barneveld to the brink of victory and double 16 completed a 13-dart finish to seal his win as the Dutchman moves through to meet Stephen Bunting in Saturday's second round.

"I'm happy with the win," said van Barneveld. "Max played some great darts last week and showed his quality, but tonight was different."

Friday's first round was less successful for five of the six Host Nation Qualifiers, with only Rowby-John Rodriguez progressing to represent Austria in the last 32.

Rodriguez progressed past Germany's Stefan Stoyke with a 6-3 victory as he moved through to meet Australia's Simon Whitlock for a second successive weekend.

The youngster took command by winning the first three legs and also led 5-1 before fending off the European Qualifier's brief revival to seal the win with a 14-darter.

Kevin Painter ended Roxy-James Rodriguez's hopes of joining his brother in the second round with a 6-3 win.

Austrian No 1 Mensur Suljovic suffered disappointment on home soil with a 6-2 defeat to Darren Webster.

Alan Norris will take on last week's European Darts Trophy winner Michael Smith in the second round following his 6-2 win over Austrian qualifier Armin Glanzer.

Andy Hamilton won a high-quality first-round clash with Dean Winstanley 6-3 as he set up a meeting with Vincent van der Voort, who won last year's European Tour event in Austria.

Ronny Huybrechts survived a gutsy fightback from Wes Newton to move through to meet world No 1 Michael van Gerwen in the second round, leading 4-0 and 5-1 before Newton forced a decider, but the Belgian took out 108 on double 14 to finally seal the win.

Friday's first round results:

Stefan Stoyke 3-6 Rowby-John Rodriguez

Zoran Lerchbacher 1-6 Darren Johnson

Tony Newell 6-3 Terry Temple

Joe Murnan 5-6 Mark Walsh

Robert Marijanovic 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode

Mickey Mansell 6-3 Adam Hunt

Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Paul Milford

Armin Glanzer 2-6 Alan Norris

William O'Connor 6-4 Gerwyn Price

Dean Winstanley 3-6 Andy Hamilton

Roxy-James Rodriguez 3-6 Kevin Painter

Maik Langendorf 6-5 Aaron Hardy

David Pallett 6-2 Jamie Caven

Ronny Huybrechts 6-5 Wes Newton

Mensur Suljovic 2-6 Darren Webster

Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Max Hopp