PDC Media Release

RUSSIA^S Anastasia Dobromyslova will compete in the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship after opting to move onto the PDC circuit.

Dobromyslova has taken the final place in the Preliminary Round of the tournament following the withdrawal of an Indian Qualifier, which saw that place awarded to a Russian representative.

The 24-year-old, the current Women^s World Champion, will become only the second female to compete in the PDC World Championship, succeeding Gayl King, who lost 3-1 to Graeme Stoddart in the 2001 event.

"We^re delighted that Anastasia has chosen to compete on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.

"Her ambition is to compete amongst the best players in darts for the greatest prize money and she has already proven in the UK Open and Grand Slam of Darts this year that she can do just that.

"The Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship will be another great opportunity for Anastasia and we will look forward to her competing at Alexandra Palace.

"She will compete for over £5 million in prize money on the PDC circuit next year - and I^m sure she will cause plenty of shocks along the way!"

Dobromyslova won a place earlier this year in the Blue Square UK Open, where she lost 6-5 to Robert Thornton in round one, as well as competing more recently in the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

She will follow up her appearance in the World Championship, which begins on Friday December 19 at Alexandra Palace, by competing full-time on the PDC circuit next year.

Her last appearance on the WDF/BDO circuit - where Dobromyslova was ranked as the women’s number one - came on Sunday at the World Masters, where she reached the final before losing to Francis Hoenselaar 4-3.