The iconic Boylesports World Grand Prix returns to our screens next month, with the double start competition making its way to the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
Fans and media personalities were excited at the quality of many of the first-round games with many predicting shocks aplenty
World Number 1 Gerwyn Price will face a rematch with Martin Schindler after the pair were drawn against each other for the Betfred World Matchplay earlier on in the year. The Winter Gardens was the stage where the Iceman returned to the World Number 1 spot having bettered Peter Wright’s finish in the competition.
The Red Dragon star lost 18-14 in the Final to Michael van Gerwen who is arguably having the best 2022 out of any player in the PDC, having won the Premier League in June, World Matchplay in July backed up up with two victories on the Euro Tour as well as the Queensland Darts Masters.
Mighty Mike faces a blockbuster showdown with Back-to-Back World Champion Gary Anderson in Leicester, with the Flying Scotsman getting the better of the World Number 3 on the opening night of this year’s Premier League in Cardiff back in February.
The Scotsman has never won the World Grand Prix in his darting career with a runner-up finish in the 2016 tournament being his best performance in the competition, losing to his Dutch opponent 5-2 in sets.
Defending Champion and Premier League table topper Jonny Clayton faces a real opening First Round battle in the Boylesports World Grand Prix, after being drawn against Team Netherlands World Cup star and recent World Series of Darts finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode in Leicester.
The Ferret who is ranked number 7 for the competition has enjoyed a decent year in the PDC having been the only player to win four nights in the Premier League whilst also dropping just two legs in his Semi-Final and Final victories down under, beating good mate Joe Cullen 7-1 in the Semis before an 8-1 victory over James Wade secured him the title.
The Red Dragon star beat Gerwyn Price 5-1 in last year’s Final, making history with it being the first All Welsh PDC Major televised Final.
His opponent also known as the Aubergenius is no stranger to the World Grand Prix having reached the Final himself two years ago where he lost to the World Number 1 Price during the lockdown period where no crowds entered the events.
The 2020 Grand Prix can be seen as the catalyst in the career of the Dutchman. He has been a tough player to beat during many differing competitions, with Michael Smith struggling in the Matchplay to deal with the Titan and losing 11-7.
Peter Wright will face Kim Huybrechts who knocked Michael van Gerwen out of the recent Belgian Darts Open in Wieze in the first round.
Snakebite won his first title on the Euro Tour in September after beating Dimitri van den Bergh in the Final of the German Darts Open. The Livingston-born thrower missed the three-part World Series tour of Australia due to health reasons but has returned with some quality arrows which was showcased massively in Jena.
The Red Dragon man hasn’t won anything on the television this year having missed out on a spot at Premier League Finals night because of a defeat to Joe Cullen on Night 16 in Newcastle, seeing the Rockstar hit all six darts in hand at double sixteen recording a 100% double checkout rate in what was a crucial tungsten tussle.
Masters Champion Cullen will face Damon Heta having been drawn against the Australian now based in Ilkeston, after he moved over from the DPA to compete in PDC events.
The Winmau man also won the first time on the Euro Tour this month, after beating William O’Connor 8-2 to win the event in Budapest following up wins over the likes of Dave Chisnall, Jim Williams, and Martin Lukeman.
King of the Euro Tour Luke Humphries will also appear in this year’s Grand Prix after impressing massively on the Euro Tour, winning four events so far including a 107 plus average in whitewashing Michael van Gerwen in Germany earlier in the year.
Cool Hand struggled in the Matchplay losing in the opening round to Nathan Aspinall 10-5 and will hope for redemption on the television this time around as he prepares to go up against Chris Dobey in the First Round.
Hollywood is a consistent major tournament qualifier and performer, including being the man to knock Fallon Sherrock out of the World’s in the year she beat Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic, with her form in the capital giving out so much inspiration to the rest of the world.
Dobey reached the Fourth Round after beating the Queen of the Palace and has also played in front of his home crowd when the Premier League included the contender setup.
The World Grand Prix will start on Monday night live on Sky Sports from Leicester with Callan Rydz going up against Krzysztof Ratajski in the first tungsten tussle of the tournament, with the major rule being the double start at the beginning of each leg.
Boylesports World Grand Prix 2022 Draw:
Gerwyn Price (1) v Martin Schindler
Joe Cullen v Damon Heta
Rob Cross (8) v Daryl Gurney
Madars Razma v Ryan Searle
Michael Smith (4) v Nathan Aspinall
Danny Noppert v Gabriel Clemens
James Wade (5) v Martin Lukeman
Ross Smith v Andrew Gilding
Peter Wright (2) v Kim Huybrechts
Callan Rydz v Krzysztof Ratajski
Jonny Clayton (7) v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dimitri van den Bergh v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen (3) v Gary Anderson
Brendan Dolan v Stephen Bunting
Jose de Sousa (6) v Adrian Lewis
Chris Dobey v Luke Humphries
—–ENDS—–
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