Reigning champion Zong starts Chinese Premier League playoff leading the way

Xiaochen Zong has also won the seventh match day of the Premier League to his liking. Zong defeated Lihao Wen 5-1 in the final.

The seventh day was also the last before the play-offs start on Sunday. Zong, who has won four previous rounds, has been the dominant force in Chinese darts in recent years. Last year, he won as many as 23 matches.

Earlier this month, Zong made history by becoming the first player to throw a nine-darter in an event streamed by PDC China. The 24-year-old Chinese almost repeated this feat in his semi-final against Ju on the seventh day of play of the Chinese Premier League, with seven perfect darts in the second leg, before eventually securing a 5-1 victory with an average of 94.

The top four ranked players will now be allowed to take part in Sunday's play-offs, where the two finalists will represent China at the 2023 World Cup of Darts. Wen, winner of the second day of play, will play in the first semi-final against Chengan Liu, winner of the fifth day of play, before Zong takes on Bin Zheng for a place in the final.

The semi-finals will be played over the best of 19 legs, and Sunday's final over the best of 21 legs. The winner will receive $1,500.

Xiaochen Zong 5-2 Xicheng Han

Erlin Ju 5-4 Jianjun Jia

Lihao Wen 5-4 Chengan Liu

Bin Zheng 5-3 Wenge Xie

Xiaochen Zong 5-1 Erlin Ju

Lihao Wen 5-1 Bin Zheng

Xiaochen Zong 5-1 Lihao Wen