14/11/2020

Draw released for 2020 Grand Slam of Darts

The draw has been released for the 2020 Grand Slam of Darts which is set to take place behind closed doors at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry between 16-23 November.

Gerwyn Price will aim to make it a hat-trick of titles in the ranking tournament which usually takes place at least in recent years at Aldersley Leisure Village.

Ricoh Arena in Coventry hosts three further TV events in 2020

But as well as the venue and the lack of fans, there will also only be two BDO representatives this year with the demise of the organisation. Wayne Warren and Mikuru Suzuki as BDO Men's and Ladies World Champion will take part.

The 32-player field will be put into groups which have now been confirmed. Group A will see the World Number One, Michael van Gerwen aiming to bounce back after a tumultuous 2020 at times.

He will be alongside the most recent PDC ranking winner in Joe Cullen who claimed the final Winter Series event and also beat Mighty Mike in the final of the International Darts Open last month. As well as Gabriel Clemens who has also been in superb form recently. Adam Hunt will also round out the group.

Cullen claims final PDC Winter Series title with Ratajski win

Group B sees Gary Anderson as the top seeded player. He will be alongside Simon Whitlock who has shown a real return to form as of late which included a run to the Quarter-Finals at the World Matchplay where he lost to 'The Flying Scotsman'.

But a knee injury saw Anderson head out of the Winter Series early but was that due to the impending major or will it hamper the two time World Champion?

Anderson withdraws from remaining Winter Series events due to knee injury

First time ranking winner Ryan Searle will make his Grand Slam debut in this group as well as World Youth finalist, Adam Gawlas.

Group C will see Michael Smith as fourth seed after a great week which saw him win two titles in the Winter Series and he will be alongside Krzysztof Ratajski who reached the final losing to Cullen on Saturday.

He will also have the Portuguese ace Jose de Sousa who has been one of the most in-form players in the world this year, four time World Champion Lisa Ashton who came through the Women's Qualifier.

Ladies set to play at Grand Slam for fourth time after Ashton and Suzuki confirmed

Group D is headed up by Rob Cross alongside Dave Chisnall who of course smashed in a 121 average on Saturday in the Winter Series and with 'Voltage' not being in the best form, it could be a scalp.

World Youth Champion, Luke Humphries will hope so as he is also in that group, as is Justin Pipe who rounds out the group.

Group E sees Peter Wright, the World Champion who will have desires to add another major to his collection after his European Championship win. He will be alongside Ian White, Devon Petersen and Dirk van Duijvenbode, the World Grand Prix finalist.

Former Grand Slam champion James Wade in Group F will have Premier League champion Glen Durrant, Jermaine Wattimena and Brisbane Darts Master, Damon Heta who has also been mightily impressive.

As alluded to, Price will aim for three in a row and he will have to face off against his World Cup teammate Jonny Clayton in a group which also includes another first time ranking winner Ryan Joyce and the aforementioned Mikuru Suzuki.

Group H has Nathan Aspinall with World Matchplay champion Dimitri van den Bergh, Ricky Evans who came through the qualifier and finally Wayne Warren.