Five must-watch matches in the first round of the 2023 Players Championship Finals

The Players Championship Finals will take place from Nov. 24 to 26 in Minehead. The field of participants consists of the best 64 players at this year's Players Championships.

The first round will be played on Friday afternoon and evening. Darts News looks ahead to the best duels from the first round of the 2023 Players Championship Finals.

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Callan Rydz (25) v Michael van Gerwen (40)

Based on the Players Championship Order of Merit, Callan Rydz is surprisingly the higher-ranked player in this match. The Englishman started well this Pro Tour season with multiple quarterfinals, but peaked at Players Championship 19, when he won his third PDC ranking title. Michael van Gerwen also grabbed a title on the Pro Tour this year, but has skipped many tournaments after that, finishing relatively low on the Players Championship rankings. Based on results at TV tournaments, the reigning Premier League champion, who managed to win the Players Championship Finals no fewer than 7 times (including in 2022), has the advantage.

Chris Dobey (29) v Raymond van Barneveld (36)

With his victory at the Masters at the beginning of the year, Dobey took the first major title of his career. He then reached the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay, the World Grand Prix and the European Championship. Van Barneveld, through solid results on the Pro Tour, managed to qualify for almost all major tournaments in 2023, but did not yet manage a good run.

Damon Heta (3) v Jules van Dongen (62)

Damon Heta won two Players Championships this year and also reached one final and five semifinals. At TV tournaments, he made it to the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay and the Grand Slam of Darts. For Jules van Dongen, his Tour Card is on the line. Due to some good results on the Pro Tour this year, the Dutch American will make his debut at the Players Championship Finals and the World Darts Championship.

Dimitri van den Bergh (31) v Jim Williams (34)

In early 2023, Dimitri van den Bergh reached the semifinals at the World Darts Championship, the UK Open and the World Cup of Darts. Since then, however, the former World Matchplay champion has shown shaky form at both TV tournaments and on the Pro Tour. Jim Williams recently showed good form when he reached his second PDC ranking final at Players Championship 30.

Gerwyn Price (1) v Ricky Evans (64)

Gerwyn Price took no fewer than six titles on the Pro Tour this year and is therefore seeded No. 1 for this edition of the Players Championship Finals. In addition, Price won two Euro Tour tournaments this year, the World Cup of Darts and reached the final of the Premier League for the first time in his career. However, 'The Iceman' has not yet been able to reward himself with an individual major title this season. He will have to get past 'Rapid Ricky' in the first round, who will be taking part in the Players Championship Finals for the seventh time.