World Grand Prix 2020 preview and schedule: Saturday October 10, featuring Anderson, Van Gerwen and Price

We're guaranteed to have at least one first-timer in the World Grand Prix semi-finals.

There are plenty of familiar faces in the mix, but with a good sprinkling of something new. While Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price's involvement in the latter stage of majors is commonplace, we have three World Grand Prix quarter-final debutants in Joe Cullen, Jeffrey de Zwaan and Dirk van Duijvenbode. With former finalists Simon Whitlock and Dave Chisnall also chasing glory in Coventry, there are plenty of talking points.

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Does Dirk have a shot?

Of the eight, there's no doubt that Dirk van Duijvenbode is the dark horse. Of his limited major experience, the Dutchman's best showing was a run to the last 32 of the UK Open earlier this year. But he's taken out two quality opponents in Mensur Suljovic and Dimitri van den Bergh. Regardless of how the pair played (and how well we know they can play), the Titan has done everything needed on both occasions to win with relative comfort.

The only issue now is that he's playing one of the most effortlessly ruthless players in the world. That's not to say that Gary Anderson isn't prone to lapses in concentration, of course. But the Scot looks relaxed right now, which is a bad sign for everyone else. Danny Noppert, another player who was quietly fancied by many, was easily disposed of. Anderson's the clear favourite, and will be comfortable with that, though Van Duijvenbode will similarly be happy to take a shot at the two-time world champion as the underdog.

If Raymond van Barneveld needs a guide on making a great comeback, forget Michael Jordan or Kim Clijsters - just make a beeline straight for Dave Chisnall. Chizzy simply refuses to say die, and while the focus will be on Ryan Joyce's litany of fluffed chances, all credit has to go to the 2019 runner-up for staying involved and blowing his opponent away in the deciding set. Chisnall will be under no illusions, however; he got away with one, and very few players get let off multiple times.

He'll face Joe Cullen in the second of the four quarter-finals. Taking on a good friend is a unique challenge, and you could tell that it affected Cullen and Jonny Clayton at least a bit; while he was more muted than in victory over Daryl Gurney, Cullen showed the same keen eye for opportunity. After being broken twice in the deciding set, it took real nerve to break throw himself in the last, having cancelled Clayton out with some timely bursts of good scoring. It's unlikely that either player will cruise through this, bar a massive drop-off in standard. Considering that both will be very pumped up for this, that doesn't seem likely.

Whitlock and JDZ to 'do a Denmark'?

One of the most famous underdog tales in sport came almost three decades ago, when an unfancied Denmark battled to win Euro 1992. The reason it was so unprecedented was that they hadn't even qualified, only being called up when Yugoslavia collapsed. Simon Whitlock and Jeffrey de Zwaan find themselves on the cusp of doing a darts version of 'a Denmark'.

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The famed Danish side were even more remarkable as their talisman didn't bother to turn up, and failed to score in their first two games. Conversely, Whitlock and de Zwaan have flourished in their opening two fixtures.

After a surprisingly simple win over Chris Dobey, Whitlock was up against it against Mervyn King. But the despicable fly-murderer simply refused to say die (ironically). And when King offered a chance, the insect-massacring Aussie was on hand to take it. There are two causes for encouragement: firstly that he was so fantastic against Dobey; but also that, bar the first set, the diptera-destroying Antipodean ace was producing the sort of finishing that will cause anyone problems.

Devon Petersen may have been living in Michael van Gerwen's head "rent-free", but now Van Gerwen's made the South African pay up and evicted him. A 3-0 win looks comfortable on paper, but it could've been so different. He won't mull over it for too long, but Mighty Mike may have been a little concerned with some of the nervy darts in that win. The further into a tournament he gets, the better Van Gerwen tends to play, and with a sixth World Grand Prix looming before him, the Dutch icon will be buzzing. But not buzzing too much, hopefully, or Whitlock might crush him.

There's something truly joyful about watching someone in full flow. And when Jeffrey de Zwaan gets rolling, he's one of the very best to watch. The last leg against Gabriel Clemens, where the Black Cobra visibly nodded in delight at a 180 *before throwing the third dart*, **twice**, was simply beautiful. De Zwaan is a momentum player, so that flow - reminiscent of the form that took him into the 2018 World Matchplay semi-finals - is a really positive sign.

Gerwyn Price is similarly feeling the flow, and you have to credit the Welshman for two very professional performances thus far. Kim Huybrechts was the latest to be cast aside, blasted by big checks of 132 and 148 in one of the best sets you'll see in this tournament this year. A first World Grand Prix semi-final is now within Price's sights. He's coming into this off the back of the best average he's ever managed at this tournament, so the timing couldn't be more right. Considering de Zwaan's current buoyance, this could turn into one absolute masterpiece of a quarter-final.

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World Grand Prix 2020 schedule

Saturday October 10

19:10 Dirk van Duijvenbode v Gary Anderson
20:10 Dave Chisnall v Joe Cullen
21:10 Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
22:10 Gerwyn Price v Jeffrey de Zwaan