PDC World Darts Championship: Event goes behind closed doors from Wednesday
- Published
- comments
Peter Wright won his first PDC World Darts Championship when he beat Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in last year's final
William Hill PDC World Darts Championship 2021 |
|---|
Venue: Alexandra Palace, London Date: 15 December 2020 - 3 January 2021 |
Coverage: Daily reports on the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text coverage of the final on 3 January |
Reigning champion Peter Wright will begin the defence of his PDC World Darts Championship trophy in front of fans on Tuesday before the tournament goes behind closed doors.
London entering tier three Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday means plans for 1,000 people to attend each session at Alexandra Palace have had to be be scrapped at the last minute.
But the competition with a global draw and £2.5m of prize money up for grabs still promises to sparkle.
Wright, world number one Michael van Gerwen and plenty of other big names will toe the oche looking to claim the £500,000 winner's cheque. A few familiar faces, including 2012 finalist Andy Hamilton, also make a welcome return.
BBC Sport takes a look at what to expect over 16 days of darting delight as an unforgettable year in the sport draws to a close.
No fans from Wednesday
Scenes like this, with swathes of fans singing and chanting in costumes, will not be replicated at Alexandra Palace this year
Monday's government announcement that the capital would go into England's highest tier of Covid rules from 00:01 GMT on Wednesday meant PDC bosses were forced to reshape the tournament once again.
They had already banned fancy dress and "football style" singing and chanting, while all food and drink must be ordered via a mobile app.
These restrictions will still be in place for those attending on Tuesday after which no fans will be allowed until at least 27 December.
The PDC said it would review things on 23 December before the tournament takes a three-day break for Christmas.
"A further announcement in relation to tickets for the post-Christmas action in the World Championship [is] to be made in due course," a PDC statement added.
The main contenders
The Netherlands' Michael van Gerwen, Wales' Gerwyn Price and Scotland's Peter Wright are the main contenders for this year's PDC World Darts Championships
Since winning his first World Championship last season, 50-year-old Wright has admitted he has been struggling to stay motivated during lockdown.
The colourful Scot's European Championship win last month is his sole televised win since darts' return in July, but he says he is not feeling pressure to retain his world crown.
"I've already accomplished my dream," he said. "It's the other guys who have never won it so the pressure is on them.
"I've done it, so it doesn't matter what happens now. That moment will never be taken away from me.
Want all the goals and talking points from Sunday's Premier League games? MOTD2 is streaming now
"That said, I'll be going out all guns blazing to try and take the Sid Waddell Trophy home with me again."
Wright will play England's Steve West or India's Amit Gilitwala to round off the opening night of the tournament.
Wright has been in 'horrible place' this year
Van Gerwen, fresh from his Players Championship Finals win over Mervyn King on 29 November, has also not had a successful year by his standards.
The three-time world champion's win against King was his first victory in a televised major tournament since his UK Open success at Minehead in March, shortly before the suspension of the season due to coronavirus restrictions.
The 31-year-old Dutchman, defeated by Wright in last year's final, faces the winner of Ryan Murray and Lourence Ilagan's first-round tie when he gets his World Championship going in round two.
"There have been some difficult moments both on and off the oche but it's about how you come through those moments," Van Gerwen said.
"In the last few weeks I have been feeling good again and I can definitely feel the old Michael coming out on the dartboard.
"Now I'm feeling ready to go at the World Championship and the other players need to watch out."
Gerwyn Price has enjoyed a fair amount of success running up to the tournament, having won the World Series of Darts in September, World Grand Prix in October and World Cup of Darts with Wales in November.
The 35-year-old has never reached the final at Ally Pally but if he does so this year, he will be the first Welshman to progress to a PDC world final.
Elsewhere, two-time winner Gary Anderson's opening fixture has been pushed back as the Scot is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.
Portugal's Jose de Sousa has had a year to remember, peaking in the tail end of 2020 and winning the Grand Slam of Darts last month which has seen him surge to 14th in the PDC Order of Merit.
Glen Durrant (ranked 12), Dimitri van den Bergh (9), James Wade (7), Nathan Aspinall (6) and Michael Smith (4) have all won PDC events this year and will also be hopeful of lifting a first PDC world title in the capital.
Hedman makes a belated debut
Deta Hedman is a three-time BDO Women's World Championship finalist
Three-time BDO Women's World Championship finalist Deta Hedman, a legend of the game, makes her debut at the PDC worlds at the age of 61.
She set up her first-round tie against Andy Boulton after edging out last year's history maker Fallon Sherrock who narrowly failed to qualify for this year's tournament.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to get through because, in fairness, Fallon has been playing fantastic after what she did last year, and she has kicked on from there," Hedman, who qualified thanks to a higher number of legs won over Sherrock, told BBC Sport.
"I didn't think I'd got through because I'd lost to Fallon so I just sat down and said I'd blown it. I needed to beat her and then I would have known I was certain to get through.
"When I found out I had a towel in my hands and I sobbed like a child.
"I'm so excited that I can't put it into words. It's all I have in my head. Of course I want to play well, but above all I will make sure I enjoy it."
Meanwhile, four-time BDO women's champion Lisa Ashton, who won a PDC tour card in January prior to the disruption of the season due to coronavirus, features at Ally Pally for the second time.
BDO demise paves way for familiar faces
Whereas the PDC has valiantly continued during a year of disruption by holding tournaments where players play at home, or grouping tournaments in one venue, the BDO reached the end of the road in the summer.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the rival organisation had been suffering financial difficulties, with reduced prize money offered at January's World Championships.
The organisation entered voluntary liquidation in May before finally folding in September, ending decades of darting history.
Andy Hamilton's last appearance at the PDC World Championship was in 2016
Former PDC World Championship finalist Hamilton was one of a number of BDO players to win PDC tour cards earlier this year and joins two-time BDO world champion Scott Waites and finalist Jeff Smith at this year's event.
Hamilton, 53, told BBC Sport before his first-round tie against Nico Kurz: "It's a bad situation for the amateur game. It's the players I feel sorry for.
"Without the BDO the PDC wouldn't be there and we've got a lot of respect for the BDO. In time I think this was always going to happen but it's good in a way because it can have a fresh start.
"I wanted to finish my career off as a PDC player and I intend to stay. I have to thank the BDO as the two years I had there helped me get back enjoying the game."
Games to look out for
Tuesday, 15 December: Peter Wright (2) v Steve West or Amit Gilitwala
Wednesday, 16 December: Adam Hunt v Lisa Ashton
Thursday, 17 December: Jose de Sousa (14) v Ross Smith or David Evans
Friday, 18 December: James Wade (7) v Callan Rydz or James Bailey
Saturday, 19 December: Scott Waites v Matt Campbell; Andy Hamilton v Nico Kurz; Andy Boulton v Deta Hedman; Michael van Gerwen (1) v Ryan Murray or Lourence Ilagan
Monday, 21 December: Gerwyn Price (3) v Luke Woodhouse or Jamie Lewis
Tuesday, December 22: Rob Cross (5) v Dirk van Duijvenbode or Bradley Brooks
Wednesday, December 23: Michael Smith (4) v Jason Lowe or Dmitriy Gorbunov; Gary Anderson (13) v Madars Razma or Toru Suzuki
Alternative apocalypses: What are the modern threats to the human race?
Are Universities doing enough?: BBC Three hears from students in need
