PRICE FACES POTENTIAL SMITH SHOWDOWN IN RIESA
Gerwyn Price will begin his defence of the Interwetten International Darts Open against either Ross Smith or Paavo Myller, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s event now confirmed.
The Sachsenarena will play host to the third European Tour event of 2023, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize in Riesa from March 31-April 2.
This weekend's 100th PDC European Tour event will be headlined by reigning champion Price and Michael van Gerwen - who has become the top seed in the absence of Luke Humphries, who has withdrawn due to illness.
Friday’s first round - which will be broadcast through PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN - will feature 16 matches across two sessions, including a clash between World Championship semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens and World Cup winner Simon Whitlock.
Newly-crowned UK Open champion Andrew Gilding faces two-time TV title winner Daryl Gurney in another mouth-watering tussle, while Richie Burnett makes his European Tour return against German teenager Liam Maendl-Lawrance.
Callan Rydz and Mike De Decker lock horns for a place in round two, while Ross Smith takes on European Tour debutant Paavo Myller in his opener on Friday evening.
Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld will also feature in Riesa after being called up from the reserve list, and the Dutch veteran has been pitted against Stephen Burton in round one.
The 16 seeded players enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, as Price aims to continue his superb form by claiming back-to-back European Tour titles.
The Welshman celebrated European Darts Open success in Leverkusen last weekend, and he could play European Champion Smith in round two, as he sets his sights on a fourth International Darts Open crown.
Top seed Van Gerwen begins his bid for a maiden International Darts Open title against Keegan Brown or Matt Campbell, while last year's runner-up Peter Wright will play either Ian White or Jose Justicia.
World Champion Michael Smith – who won the tournament’s inaugural staging in 2015 – kicks off his title tilt against Rydz or De Decker, with 2020 winner Joe Cullen up against Jeroen Mioch or Alan Soutar.
February's Baltic Sea Darts Open champion Dave Chisnall will face Gilding or Gurney for a place in round three, while Brendan Dolan or German youngster Pascal Rupprecht await second seed Damon Heta.
Germany's number two Martin Schindler opens his campaign against Van Barneveld or Burton, while last weekend’s runner-up Dirk van Duijvenbode will take on Clemens or Whitlock in a blockbuster second round clash.
Elsewhere, Steve Lennon and Andy Boulton will battle it out for the right to take on third seed Rob Cross, a semi-finalist in Leverkusen last weekend.
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.
Live coverage of all 2023 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay in the UK, the Netherlands, Poland and all Nordic & Baltic countries, 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.
NB: Luke Humphries, Adrian Lewis and Sebastian Bialecki have withdrawn, and have been replaced from the reserve list by Scott Williams, Raymond van Barneveld and Mike De Decker. Jim Williams (first reserve) opted not to accept his invitation.
2023 Interwetten International Darts Open
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
(1) Michael van Gerwen v Keegan Brown/Matt Campbell
(16) Jose De Sousa v Kim Huybrechts/Lee Evans
(8) Peter Wright v Ian White/Jose Justicia
(9) Joe Cullen v Jeroen Mioch/Alan Soutar
(4) Dave Chisnall v Andrew Gilding/Daryl Gurney
(13) Jonny Clayton v Brian Raman/Ryan Meikle
(5) Nathan Aspinall v Mario Vandenbogaerde/Madars Razma
(12) Martin Schindler v Raymond van Barneveld/Stephen Burton
(2) Damon Heta v Brendan Dolan/Pascal Rupprecht
(15) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Niko Springer/Scott Williams
(7) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Gabriel Clemens/Simon Whitlock
(10) Danny Noppert v Richie Burnett/Liam Maendl-Lawrance
(3) Rob Cross v Steve Lennon/Andy Boulton
(14) Josh Rock v Florian Hempel/James Wilson
(6) Michael Smith v Callan Rydz/Mike De Decker
(11) Gerwyn Price v Ross Smith/Paavo Myller
Schedule of Play
Friday March 31
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Jeroen Mioch v Alan Soutar
Steve Lennon v Andy Boulton
Mario Vandenbogaerde v Madars Razma
Brian Raman v Ryan Meikle
Brendan Dolan v Pascal Rupprecht
Ian White v Jose Justicia
Keegan Brown v Matt Campbell
Richie Burnett v Liam Maendl-Lawrance
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Kim Huybrechts v Lee Evans
Niko Springer v Scott Williams
Callan Rydz v Mike De Decker
Andrew Gilding v Daryl Gurney
Florian Hempel v James Wilson
Ross Smith v Paavo Myller
Raymond van Barneveld v Stephen Burton
Gabriel Clemens v Simon Whitlock
Saturday April 1
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Danny Noppert v Burnett/Maendl-Lawrance
Damon Heta v Dolan/Rupprecht
Jose De Sousa v K Huybrechts/L Evans
Rob Cross v Lennon/Boulton
Joe Cullen v Mioch/Soutar
Dave Chisnall v Gilding/Gurney
Josh Rock v Hempel/Wilson
Nathan Aspinall v Vandenbogaerde/Razma
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Jonny Clayton v Raman/Meikle
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Springer/S Williams
Peter Wright v White/Justicia
Michael van Gerwen v Brown/Campbell
Gerwyn Price v R Smith/Myller
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Clemens/Whitlock
Martin Schindler v Van Barneveld/Burton
Michael Smith v Rydz/De Decker
Sunday April 2
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
International Darts Open Roll of Honour
2015 Michael Smith
2016 Mensur Suljovic
2017 Peter Wright
2018 Gerwyn Price
2019 Gerwyn Price
2020 Joe Cullen
2022 Gerwyn Price