Tag: League

Emma Paton returns ahead of the World Grand Prix Darts to make her predictions for the iconic double-in, double-out tournament; who is she picking to win this year’s event in Leicester? And will Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson be her must-watch first-round tie?

It’s prediction time for Emma Paton with the World Grand Prix on her mind

Our very own Emma Paton is back for her latest predictions ahead of this year’s World Grand Prix Darts at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.

Find out who Emma is backing to win the unique event, which is best known for its double-in, double-out format.

The 25th staging of the prestigious tournament will feature seven sessions of action from October 3-9 – live on Sky Sports!

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Enjoy the best moments from the World Grand Prix, from the first nine-darter, Andy Callaby beating Phil Taylor and MVG’s first TV title win

Tournament favourite?

Well this isn’t a huge surprise, he is the bookies’ favourite too, but I’ve gone for…

…Gerwyn Price!

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Gerwyn Price hit two nine-dart finishes in one night in the Premier League in Belfast…

‘The Iceman’ knows what it takes to win, he won this event two years ago, and then followed that up with a runner-up finish last year, ultimately losing out to fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton.

He’s coming into form nicely having, by his own admission, struggled with the schedule earlier on in the year. The world No 1 arrives in Leicester off the back of winning The World Series of Darts Finals, plus he missed last weekend’s event in Belgium so should be feeling fresh!

Compared to the other members of the ‘Big Three’ including Peter Wright and Michael van Gerwen, I think his section of the draw is slightly more favourable.

He faces a debutant in Martin Schindler in the first round, and he knows what to expect there after their first-round tie in Blackpool!

A tricky last-16 tie looms with either Masters champion Joe Cullen or Australia’s No 1 Damon Heta but I expect him to get past either of those, with Rob Cross the highest seed in his quarter.

Michael Smith and James Wade are in his half – we all know how dangerous Wade can be in this event having won it twice, but in five of his last seven appearances he’s not made it past the opening round – so I’m backing Price to at least reach the final.

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Price raised the roof with a nine-darter during his semi-final against Danny Noppert at the World Matchplay

One to watch?

…Danny Noppert!

Will Danny Noppert be the one to watch in Leicester?

Now this might sound counter-intuitive because he’s in the same half as Price!! But I think he can certainly make it out of his quarter.

He did just that last year, in the end losing to Clayton in the semis and he could find himself with a similar scenario this time around with a different Welshman ending his chances.

He looks more and more confident every time I see him on the stage and certainly since winning the UK Open earlier this year. He has such a calmness and steel about him, I’m a big fan of the way he goes about his business.

We don’t seem to talk him up too much ahead of majors, despite him picking one up this year! He’s still flying under the radar with the bookies too at 25/1 but ‘The Freeze’ is one to keep your eye on!

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Danny Noppert showcased some serious darthousery with a no-look 180 before taking out 86 on the bullseye at the World Matchplay

Double-in, double-out…

…adds to the excitement!! Well it does for us anyway!

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Watch every nine-darter hit at the World Grand Prix…

For the players, the first round is a nerve shredder! The fact we start with best of three sets as well adds to the drama. There’s no room for a slow start, last year showed exactly that with the likes of Peter Wright and MVG falling at the first hurdle.

There’s drama of the other kind too – we’ve seen players in the past step up on the stage and forget it’s double-in and go straight for the treble 20!

The fact we only see this format once a year adds a sprinkling of something special, it’s unique, and a great leveller for the players.

Must-watch first-round tie?

…Jonny Clayton vs Dirk van Duijvenbode!

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Clayton struck with five ton-plus finishes as he dominated Price to lift his maiden World Grand Prix title

Is there any other answer?!

To be fair there are some cracking opening ties but this is the standout for me.

They’ve met a couple of times recently – at the World Series Finals which went the Dutchman’s way, and then what a belter at the Belgian Darts Open over the weekend, both players averaged 105 but it was ‘The Ferret’ who came out on top then.

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Jonny Clayton triumphed at the World Grand Prix after thrashing Gerwyn Price 5-1

Clayton is the defending champion of course and is coming into form. He finished the Premier League top of the table but has admitted defeat to Joe Cullen in the play-offs knocked his confidence which took some time to recover from but he’s certainly getting back to his best.

Van Duijvenbode might not have won this event, but he came close a couple of years ago getting to the final and he’s getting closer to winning something on the big stage.

Oh it should be good, shouldn’t it?

2022 World Grand Prix
Schedule of Play
Monday October 3 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches
Callan Rydz vs Krzysztof Ratajski
Brendan Dolan vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Dave Chisnall
(7) Jonny Clayton vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
(2) Peter Wright vs Kim Huybrechts
(3) Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson
(6) Jose de Sousa vs Adrian Lewis

Tuesday October 4 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches
Madars Razma vs Ryan Searle
Ross Smith vs Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert vs Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen vs Damon Heta
(8) Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney
(5) James Wade vs Martin Lukeman
(1) Gerwyn Price vs Martin Schindler
(4) Michael Smith vs Nathan Aspinall

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double-in, Double-out’ set format on Sky Sports from October 3-9 in Leicester.

Jonny Clayton will be out to retain his World Grand Prix title at Leicester’s Morningside Arena from October 3-9; watch the unique double-start event live on Sky Sports Arena this week

Jonny Clayton will be bidding to retain his World Grand Prix title in the unique double-start event, while Peter Wright has vowed to raise his game to “another level”.

Clayton will begin the defence of his title defence against high-flying Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode, while world champion Wright begins his bid for a maiden World Grand Prix crown against Kim Huybrechts.

Clayton clinched his first televised ranking crown in last year’s showpiece with a 5-1 demolition of fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price.

The reigning champion will look to repeat those heroics in this year’s 32-player tournament, which takes place at Leicester’s Morningside Arena from October 3-9, with a record-breaking £600,000 prize fund on offer.

Clayton is hoping to follow in the footsteps of 11-time winner Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen – who is chasing a sixth crown this year – by becoming only the third player in World Grand Prix history to retain their title.

“The double-in double-out format is challenging, but it separates the men from the boys,” said Clayton.

“I’m going to turn up and play to the best level I can. If I play my best game, I’ve got a good chance of defending my title so that’s what I will try and do.

“There are not many people that have defended the World Grand Prix and I’d love to join that list, so fingers crossed it’s going to happen again.”

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Clayton sunk five ton-plus finishes as he dominated Gerwyn Price to lift his maiden World Grand Prix title

Van Duijvenbode defeated Clayton at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam a fortnight ago, but ‘The Ferret’ gained revenge with a thrilling 6-4 victory at last weekend’s Belgian Darts Open.

Meanwhile, Wright will be featuring in his first televised ranking event since undergoing gallstones surgery in August, having returned to winning ways at last month’s International Darts Open in Jena.

“I was really happy with the win in Jena,” said ‘Snakebite’ Wright. “I won it quite easily, beating some top players on the way through, so after the surgery it’s all good.

“I feel confident about where my game is. I think I’m in the top four on the averages over the past few months, so if I can hit my double to start, I should be pretty dangerous.”

Peter Wright will be hoping to avoid a third consecutive first round exit at the World Grand Prix

Wright, a runner-up to Michael van Gerwen in 2018, will be hoping to avoid a third consecutive first round exit in the double-start event when he takes on Belgian star Kim Huybrechts.

The world No 2 is without a televised ranking title since scooping his second World Championship crown in January, and he is determined to add to his haul in Leicester.

“The World Grand Prix is definitely on my list,” insisted Wright. “I was practising for this tournament straight after the surgery. I said to myself that I’ve got to start on tops because it gives you the chance to get the highest start, so fingers crossed it works.

“Kim is playing well. He’s in a good place and he’s beaten me quite a few times recently, but this is double-start so it’s a different playing field. If I hit my doubles, I’ll win.”

World No 1 Gerwyn Price takes on German debutant Martin Schindler in his opening round tie, while Michael van Gerwen begins his bid for a sixth World Grand Prix success against his old adversary Gary Anderson, in a repeat of the 2016 final.

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Dan Dawson and Colin Lloyd make their predictions ahead of the World Grand Prix in Leicester on the latest edition of Love The Darts

World Grand Prix
Schedule of Play
Monday October 3 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches (best of three sets)
Callan Rydz vs Krzysztof Ratajski
Brendan Dolan vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Dave Chisnall
(7) Jonny Clayton vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
(2) Peter Wright vs Kim Huybrechts
(3) Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson
(6) Jose de Sousa vs Adrian Lewis

Tuesday October 4 (1900 BST)
8x First Round matches (best of three sets)
Madars Razma vs Ryan Searle
Ross Smith vs Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert vs Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen vs Damon Heta
(8) Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney
(5) James Wade vs Martin Lukeman
(1) Gerwyn Price vs Martin Schindler
(4) Michael Smith vs Nathan Aspinall

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double in, Double out’ set format on Sky Sports from October 2-8 in Leicester.

Highlights of the Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Bayer  Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena.

Matt Lucas and Elis James challenge Darren Bent to recreate his famous beachball goal against Liverpool in 2009. Watch Fantasy Football League on Sky Max on Thursdays at 10pm.