CHAMPION TO FACE DOBEY OR HALL IN GRAZ OPENER
Jonny Clayton will begin his defence of the NEO.bet Austrian Darts Open against Chris Dobey or Graham Hall on Saturday, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s event now confirmed.
The Steiermarkhalle will play host to the fifth PDC European Tour event of 2024 from April 26-28, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize in Graz.
This weekend’s action will see reigning champion Clayton bidding to retain his title, with Michael van Gerwen eyeing a record-extending fourth title on his return to Austria.
Friday’s first round – which will be broadcast through PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN – will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as German number one Martin Schindler plays James Wade in a blockbuster tie.
Schindler – a winner at the International Darts Open a fortnight ago – will be joined in Graz by his World Cup partner Gabriel Clemens, who renews his rivalry with UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh.
Van den Bergh’s fellow Belgian Mike De Decker will take on five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, as teenage sensation Luke Littler opens his challenge against one of four Host Nation Qualifiers.
European Championship semi-finalist Gian van Veen goes head-to-head with former Grand Slam champion Jose de Sousa in another heavyweight clash, with the Portuguese ace eyeing a first win on the European Tour in 2024.
Two-time TV title winner Daryl Gurney kicks off his campaign against Martin Lukeman, while American star Danny Lauby makes his European Tour debut against Ryan Joyce.
The 16 seeded players will then enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, as Clayton begins his bid for a third Austrian Darts Open crown, having also lifted the title in 2018.
The Welshman has been pitted against Hall or Dobey, having landed four ton-plus finishes to sink former Masters champion Dobey at the second round stage in Sindelfingen last weekend.
Top seed Dave Chisnall will take on Brendan Dolan or a Host Nation representative for a place in round three, as second seed Damon Heta faces a potential showdown against Littler.
Third seed Gerwyn Price could meet former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding in Saturday’s second round, while Rob Cross will enter the fray against Lukeman or Gurney.
Three-time champion Van Gerwen will play either Jeffrey de Zwaan or Karel Sedlacek in his opener, with last year’s runner-up Josh Rock handed a showdown against Van den Bergh or Clemens.
Ryan Searle faces a tough assignment in the shape of De Sousa or Van Veen, with two-time World Champion Peter Wright looking to return to winning ways against Lauby or Joyce.
Schindler and Wade will battle it out for the right to play Ricardo Pietreczko, while Ross Smith – a runner-up in Sindelfingen last weekend – meets Van Barneveld or Decker for a place in the last 16.
Following Saturday’s second round, the last 16 will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
NB: From the original list of entries, Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson have withdrawn from the event due to personal reasons, and have been replaced by Richard Veenstra and Ricky Evans from the Reserve List.
Krzysztof Ratajski and Joe Cullen have moved into the seeded positions in the absence of Humphries and Anderson.
The final four places in the field will be confirmed in Thursday’s Host Nation Qualifier in Graz.
Live coverage of all 2024 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay, and through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers’ worldwide.
2024 NEO.bet Austrian Darts Open
(Steiermarkhalle, Graz) April 26-28
Tournament Draw Bracket
(Second Round Onward)
Players seeded based on ProTour Order of Merit position
(1) Dave Chisnall v Brendan Dolan/Host Nation Qualifier 3
(16) Joe Cullen v Darius Labanauskas/Madars Razma
(8) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Arron Monk/Ritchie Edhouse
(9) Ryan Searle v Jose de Sousa/Gian van Veen
(4) Rob Cross v Martin Lukeman/Daryl Gurney
(13) Stephen Bunting v Richard Veenstra/Ricky Evans
(5) Jonny Clayton v Graham Hall/Chris Dobey
(12) Ricardo Pietreczko v Martin Schindler/James Wade
(2) Damon Heta v Luke Littler/Host Nation Qualifier 1
(15) Krzysztof Ratajski v Dom Taylor/Host Nation Qualifier 4
(7) Josh Rock v Dimitri Van den Bergh/Gabriel Clemens
(10) Danny Noppert v Wessel Nijman/Romeo Grbavac
(3) Gerwyn Price v Andrew Gilding/Host Nation Qualifier 2
(14) Ross Smith v Raymond van Barneveld/Mike De Decker
(6) Michael van Gerwen v Jeffrey de Zwaan/Karel Sedlacek
(11) Peter Wright v Danny Lauby/Ryan Joyce
Schedule of Play
Friday April 26
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Wessel Nijman v Romeo Grbavac
Jeffrey de Zwaan v Karel Sedlacek
Danny Lauby v Ryan Joyce
Brendan Dolan v Host Nation Qualifier 3
Richard Veenstra v Ricky Evans
Darius Labanauskas v Madars Razma
Arron Monk v Ritchie Edhouse
Dom Taylor v Host Nation Qualifier 4
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Martin Lukeman v Daryl Gurney
Andrew Gilding v Host Nation Qualifier 2
Jose de Sousa v Gian van Veen
Graham Hall v Chris Dobey
Martin Schindler v James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld v Mike De Decker
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Gabriel Clemens
Luke Littler v Host Nation Qualifier 1
Saturday April 27
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Krzysztof Ratajski v Taylor/HNQ4
Danny Noppert v Nijman/Grbavac
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Monk/Edhouse
Stephen Bunting v Veenstra/R Evans
Ryan Searle v De Sousa/Van Veen
Joe Cullen v Labanauskas/Razma
Rob Cross v Lukeman/Gurney
Dave Chisnall v Dolan/HNQ3
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Ricardo Pietreczko v Schindler/Wade
Gerwyn Price v Gilding/HNQ3
Ross Smith v Van Barneveld/De Decker
Josh Rock v Van den Bergh/Clemens
Michael van Gerwen v De Zwaan/Sedlacek
Peter Wright v Lauby/Joyce
Jonny Clayton v Hall/Dobey
Damon Heta vLittler/HNQ1
Sunday April 28
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order
—–ENDS—–
Images: Jonas Hunold / PDC Europe
