The main event
Two-time world champion Gary Anderson takes on Jeffrey de Graaf tomorrow evening.
Anderson, who won in 2015 and 2016, remains one of the most popular players in the game and will have plenty of support from Dutchman De Graaf and Alexandra Palace, who play against Dutchman De Graaf.
The Flying Scotsman is on a three-match winning streak this season, but it was a defeat that gave him confidence inside that he can challenge on the world stage.
Anderson lost 16-15 to teenage sensation Luke Littler in the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts, losing 16-15, but gained plenty from that match in Wolverhampton last month.
LITTLER CELEBRATES CLASSIC. 🤯
It is simply extraordinary.
Luke Littler fights back from the brink to beat Gary Anderson 16-15 in an EPIC Grand Slam semi-final in Wolverhampton.
To the delight of both players. 👏
📺 https://t.co/lkfAqflnXa #GSOD | SF pic.twitter.com/ldSbWCnxfj
— PDC Sticks (@OfficialPDC) November 17 2024
He told The Daily Record: “It really bowled me over, decent play, got him on all fours, I had to hold the throw once, it was a mess.
“And then you could see the relief on his face when he watched Luke beat me, and I went, I pushed you away. good That freaks me out a little; It makes you blink. Little things need to set me up a little and keep going. There are some breakout darts players out there and it's a pleasure to play against them.
“If you look at his performances in the semi-finals and the final, The 54-year-old has completely captured him like this. I like things like that. I like to see They can still play to their standards. My decision that night was good.
De Graaf is world number 81, beating Rashad Sweeting 3-1 in the first round.
World No. 11 Dimitri van den Bergh joined Anderson on stage alongside Callan Rydz, who was highly impressive in his opening match and joined the action later in the evening.
Order
Afternoon (from 1230GMT)
Ryan Searle and Matt Campbell (R2)
Dirk van Duijvenbode and Madars Razma (R2)
Joe Cullen and Wessel Nijman (R2)
Ritchie Edhouse and Ian White (R2)
Evening (from 1900GMT)
Martin Schindler and Callan Rydz (R2)
Ross Smith and Paolo Nebrida (R2)
Gary Anderson and Jeffrey de Graaf (R2)
Dimitri Van den Bergh and Dylan Slevin (R2)
How to monitor
The PDC World Championship is shown on Sky Sports in the UK.
The afternoon can be seen on Sky Sports Darts from 12:30 GMT. Evening time is Sky Sports Darts at 1900 and Main Event from 1915.
Estimates
Anderson, like Slevin and Van den Bergh, should be great for De Graaf.
It could be a close contest between Rydz and world number 22 Schindler. Rydz has the game to blow anyone away and should be fancied despite being German and an outsider.
Elsewhere, Searle; Van Duijvenbode, Nijman, It should be a win for Edhouse and Smith.