2021 UK Open Darts preview & schedule: Friday afternoon session featuring Van Barneveld's return on the big stage

The first major of the year, the UK Open, starts on Friday afternoon - and stars a certain Raymond van Barneveld.

Although it's in the more modest surroundings of Milton Keynes (as opposed to the dazzling opulence of Butlin's), the UK Open has it all. There is, for one, tons of darts. The random draw throws together the world's best with amateurs and everything in between, and is brilliant for either discovering new players to enjoy or basking in darts hipstership when an 'unknown quantity' does damage.

The afternoon session at the Marshall Arena will feature rounds one, two and three, with the fourth round draw taking place at the conclusion.

As ever, the Main Stage has plenty of highlights, the first being a meeting of two top young European talents as Barry van Peer and Martin Schindler - both newly back on the Pro Tour - go head-to-head.

Danny Baggish's UK Open debut comes against Brett Claydon before Aaron Beeney, fresh off a sensational Players Championship win over Gerwyn Price, meets Lisa Ashton.

The fixture which leaps off the page is Raymond van Barneveld's tie against Alan Soutar. Barney, the 2006 and 2007 UK Open champion, faces a massive challenge in the form of the highly in-form Scot.

Max Hopp plays William O'Connor in the only confirmed round three tie on the Main Stage. Van Barneveld or Soutar will return to the same stage to play Mickey Mansell, while Keane Barry will take on either Geert Nentjes or Richie Burnett.

As there are eight stages with a full schedule, there's an absolute litany of exciting and intriguing games. Take, for example, Players Championship 2 winner Callan Rydz playing against Ross Smith on Stage Two, or Ted Evetts hoping to topple Darren Webster on Stage Eight.

One player whose afternoon will run unexpectedly smoothly is Luke Humphries; thanks to a positive COVID-19 test for Justin Pipe, Humphries is granted a bye through to the fourth round.

Schedule 2021 UK Open

Friday March 5
Afternoon Session (1100 GMT Start, 1200 GMT on Main Stage)
Main Stage
Berry van Peer v Martin Schindler (R1)
Brett Claydon v Danny Baggish (R1)
Aaron Beeney v Lisa Ashton (R2)
Maik Kuivenhoven v Koltsov/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R2)
Alan Soutar v Raymond van Barneveld (R2)
Keane Barry v Nentjes/Burnett (R2)
Max Hopp v William O'Connor (R3)
Damon Heta v Siepmann/D Evans (R3)
Soutar/Van Barneveld v Mickey Mansell (R3)

Stage Two
Gordon Mathers v Kirk Shepherd (R1)
Boris Koltsov v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1)
Zoran Lerchbacher v Jim Williams (R1)
Geert Nentjes v Richie Burnett (R1)
Martin Atkins v Bradley Brooks (R2)
Martijn Kleermaker v Wayne Jones (R2)
Peters/L Williams v Scott Mitchell (R2)
Ciaran Teehan v Claydon/Baggish (R2)
Mark McGeeney v Steve Beaton (R3)
Ross Smith v Callan Rydz (R3)
Beeney/Ashton v Darius Labanauskas (R3)
Murray/Kciuk v Kim Huybrechts (R3)

Stage Three
Rhys Griffin v Sean Fisher (R1)
Matt Jackson v Nathan Rafferty (R1)
Keelan Kay v Kevin McDine (R1)
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Brian Raman (R1)
Nick Kenny v Ryan Meikle (R2)
Jeff Smith v Van Peer/Schindler (R2)
Andy Hamilton v Edhouse/Mol (R2)
Lerchbacher/J Williams v Mathers/Shepherd (R2)
James Wilson v Keegan Brown (R3)
Atkins/Brooks v Waites/S Brown (R3)
Barry/Nentjes/Burnett v Luke Woodhouse (R3)
S Taylor/Michael/Lukeman/Verberk v Adam Hunt (R3)

Stage Four
Geert De Vos v Niels Zonneveld (R1)
Martin Lukeman v Maikel Verberk (R1)
Scott Taylor v John Michael (R1)
Michael Rasztovits v Peter Jacques (R2)
Hudson/De Vreede v Jesus Noguera (R2)
Scott Waites v Steve Brown (R2)
Kay/McDine v Rowby-John Rodriguez/Raman (R2)
Heaver/Pronk/Lovely v Ron Meulenkamp (R3)
Murnan/Dennant/Leung v Kenny/Meikle (R3)
Lerchbacher/J Williams/Mathers/Shepherd v Madars Razma (R3)

Stage Five
Shane McGuirk v Jack Main (R1)
Jason Heaver v Lorenzo Pronk (R1)
Luc Peters v Lewis Williams (R1)
Steffen Siepmann v David Evans (R2)
De Vos/Zonneveld v Derk Telnekes (R2)
Alan Tabern v Gawlas/Vos (R2)
Murnan/Dennant v Kai Fan Leung (R2)
Steve West v Jason Lowe (R3)
Andy Boulton v Jelle Klaasen (R3)
Borland/Davis/Doets v Steve Lennon (R3)
Leitinger/Sedlacek v De Decker/Griffin/Fisher (R3)
Raztovits/Jacques v Teehan/Claydon/Baggish (R3)

Stage Six
Jim McEwan v Sebastian Bialecki (R1)
Chas Barstow v Lukas Wenig (R1)
Joe Murnan v Matthew Dennant (R1)
Jon Worsley v Andrew Gilding (R2)
McGuirk/Main v Robert Collins (R2)
Mike De Decker v Griffin/Fisher (R2)
S Taylor/Michael v Lukeman/Verberk (R2)
John Henderson v Matt Edgar (R3)
Hamilton/Edhouse/Mol v J Jones/D Taylor/Blades (R3)
J Smith/Van Peer/Schindler v Kleermaker/W Jones (R3)
J Brown/Carlin/Jackson/Rafferty v Barstow/Wenig/Thomas (R3)

Stage Seven
Joe Davis v Kevin Doets (R1)
Adam Gawlas v Gino Vos (R1)
Ritchie Edhouse v Damian Mol (R1)
Harald Leitinger v Karel Sedlacek (R2)
J Jones/D Taylor v Gary Blades (R2)
J Brown/Carlin v Jackson/Rafferty (R2)
Barstow/Wenig v Martin Thomas (R2)
Kuivenhoven/Koltsov/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez v Brendan Dolan (R3)
Hudson/De Vreede/Noguera v Tabern/Gawlas/Vos (R3)
Kay/McDine/Rowby-John Rodriguez/Raman v Josh Payne (R3)

Stage Eight
Jake Jones v Dom Taylor (R1)
Peter Hudson v Ryan De Vreede (R1)
John Brown v Gavin Carlin (R1)
Ryan Murray v Krzysztof Kciuk (R2)
William Borland v Davis/Doets (R2)
McEwan/Bialecki v Jitse van der Wal (R2)
Heaver/Pronk v Eddie Lovely (R2)
Ted Evetts v Darren Webster (R3)
McGuirk/Main/Collins v Ryan Searle (R3)
Peters/L Williams/Mitchell v Worsley/Gilding (R3)
McEwan/Bialecki/Van der Wal v De Vos/Zonneveld/Telnekes (R3)