The World Series continues on Friday evening with the PDC Shanghai Darts Masters.
From a pool of a billion people, five Chinese players will step forward to represent their nation. Not one home nation player, nor any other PDC Asia invitee, has ever won a Shanghai Darts Masters fixture. Is this where the tide turns?
Royden Lam has drawn the short straw from the Asian contingent. He opens the event against Gary Anderson, who stormed to US Darts Masters glory last week. Xiaochen Zong has accumulated some big stage experience in recent months. The World Championship and World Cup participant never looked close to winning on either occasion. He'll need to pull out something special to see off Michael Smith.
Michael van Gerwen, the only Shanghai Darts Masters winner so far, wants to make it three out of three. For now, it's not a case of if he wins, it's Wen. Lihao Wen that is, another of the Chinese entrants. Lourence Ilagan has gone where few Asian players have - the semi-finals of a major competition. Perhaps he's the man to end the home continent hoodoo, as he takes on Daryl Gurney.
Rob Cross opens his tournament against Chengan Liu, while James Wade faces Hai-Long Chen. Then comes a tasty tie - Seigo Asada, the Japanese giant-killer at the World Cup, meets third seed Peter Wright. Snakebite is hardly infallible, even if he is still the overwhelming favourite. In the final match of the evening, Yuanjin Liu faces the task of seeing off Gerwyn Price, just as Dawson Murschell did in Vegas a week ago.
The day's play is live on ITV4, though coverage starts at 8pm.
Royden Lam has drawn the short straw from the Asian contingent. He opens the event against Gary Anderson, who stormed to US Darts Masters glory last week. Xiaochen Zong has accumulated some big stage experience in recent months. The World Championship and World Cup participant never looked close to winning on either occasion. He'll need to pull out something special to see off Michael Smith.
Michael van Gerwen, the only Shanghai Darts Masters winner so far, wants to make it three out of three. For now, it's not a case of if he wins, it's Wen. Lihao Wen that is, another of the Chinese entrants. Lourence Ilagan has gone where few Asian players have - the semi-finals of a major competition. Perhaps he's the man to end the home continent hoodoo, as he takes on Daryl Gurney.
Rob Cross opens his tournament against Chengan Liu, while James Wade faces Hai-Long Chen. Then comes a tasty tie - Seigo Asada, the Japanese giant-killer at the World Cup, meets third seed Peter Wright. Snakebite is hardly infallible, even if he is still the overwhelming favourite. In the final match of the evening, Yuanjin Liu faces the task of seeing off Gerwyn Price, just as Dawson Murschell did in Vegas a week ago.
The day's play is live on ITV4, though coverage starts at 8pm.
First round schedule
11:30 am Gary Anderson (1) v Royden Lam 12:00 am Michael Smith v Xiaochen Zong 12:30 pm Michael van Gerwen (4) v Lihao Wen 13:00 pm Daryl Gurney v Lourence Ilagan 13:30 pm Rob Cross (2) v Chengan Liu 14:00 pm James Wade v Hai-Long Chen 14:30 pm Peter Wright (3) v Seigo Asada 15:00 pm Gerwyn Price v Yuanjun Liu
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- With the general noise / buzz coming from the crowd can a player seriously believe he can hear darts rattling in the other players hand?Mysstree23-11-2024
- Oh, dear... how will we cope now?MrYnyslas197122-11-2024
- They really are going through an insipid spell - at present.MrYnyslas197122-11-2024
- Well done Mike – good to move on and look to the future. With his talent, and increasing confidence on stage, he'll be a force to be reckoned with in the month ahead.
UndartedWaters22-11-2024 - It's called talent and good on him.medinabello21-11-2024