Anastasia Dobromyslova hoping to make experience count at PDC World Championship

Dedicated spots at the PDC World Championship for female players may be new - but Anastasia Dobromyslova is no rookie.

The Russian, based out of Ellesmere Port, has been there and done that in the PDC game. Her first World Championship appearance came a decade ago, and ended in a best of nine legs match with Remco van Eijden. In the same format, Dobromyslova famously beat Vincent van der Voort at the 2009 Grand Slam. The three-time Lakeside champion believes the experience will all come in handy at the Ally Pally. "That’s what we are hoping for [that our experience counts]. "And especially [that] a man doesn’t want to get beaten by a woman. So hopefully extra pressure whoever we play, and then happy days," she told . Her first round opponent is Ryan Joyce; victory would mean a second round meeting with Simon Whitlock. The inclusion of two female players has largely been well received, but there has been opposition in places. Dobromyslova will be out to prove, first against Joyce and then potentially against Whitlock, that her Ally Pally place is well-earned. There could be potential dividends for her and female counterparts like Lisa Ashton in the future. "It doesn’t concern me at all because I’ve done what I had to do to qualify," the 34-year-old said. "With a bit of luck we can have better things coming out of it. Barry [said] that he’s not interested in putting [together] a ladies tour but you never know. "A few years ago he said that there’s not a chance that there’s going to be a lady in a World Championship but look at us now."

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