The main event
Two-time world champion Gary Anderson begins his campaign against Jeffrey de Graaf tomorrow evening.
Anderson, the 2015 and 2016 winner, remains one of the most popular players in the game and will receive plenty of vocal support from the Alexandra Palace crowd against Dutchman De Graaf.
The Flying Scotsman has won three events this season, but it was one defeat that gave him the inner belief that he can pose a challenge at the World Championships.
Anderson took on teenage sensation Luke Littler to a final leg shootout in the Grand Slam of Darts semi-final and although he lost 16-15, he won big in that clash in Wolverhampton last month.
LITTLER WINS A CLASSIC! 🤯
THIS IS JUST EXTRAORDINARY!
Luke Littler fights back from the brink to beat Gary Anderson 16-15 in an EPIC Grand Slam semi-final in Wolverhampton!
Sensational from both players! 👏
📺 https://t.co/lkfAqflnXa #GSOD | SF pic.twitter.com/ldSbWCnxfj
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 17, 2024
He told The Daily Record: “It really got me going, real game, four legs in front of him, I had to hold my throw once and I messed it up.”
“Even after that, I watched Luke hit me, you could see the relief on his face, so I pushed you. It’s good, it gives me a little excitement, and it also gives you a certain sparkle. Little things give me a little boost and I need that to keep going. There are some great darts players out there and it’s still nice to be there and play against them.
“If you look at his games in the semi-final and the final, it was an old 54-year-old who somehow got him to the end. I like things like that, I like to see, can I still play at their level? My finish that night was great, my result wasn’t that good.”
De Graaf is world number 81 and defeated Rashad Sweeting 3-1 in the first round.
World number 11 Dimitri van den Bergh follows Anderson onto the stage with Callan Rydz, who was so impressive in his opening game and was also in action in the evening session.
Order of play
Afternoon session (from 12:30 GMT)
Ryan Searle vs Matt Campbell (R2)
Dirk van Duijvenbode vs Madars Razma (R2)
Joe Cullen vs Wessel Nijman (R2)
Ritchie Edhouse vs Ian White (R2)
Evening session (from 19:00 GMT)
Martin Schindler vs. Callan Rydz (R2)
Ross Smith vs Paolo Nebrida (R2)
Gary Anderson vs Jeffrey de Graaf (R2)
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Dylan Slevin (R2)
Here’s how to watch
The PDC World Championship will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can watch the afternoon session on Sky Sports Darts from 12:30 GMT. The evening event will take place at 7pm on Sky Sports Darts and from 1915 on the Main Event.
Predictions
Anderson might be too good for De Graaf, as would Van den Bergh against Slevin.
The closest fight could be between Rydz and world number 22 Schindler. Rydz has the game to blow anyone away and should be in the game even if he is the underdog against the German.
Otherwise there should be victories for Searle, Van Duijvenbode, Nijman, Edhouse and Smith.
