After another short break, the World Darts Championship returns to our screens on New Year’s Day, with the quarter-finals on the agenda.
Thursday 30th December results:
Afternoon Session:
Raymond Smith 3-4 Mervyn King
Alan Soutar 1-4 Callan Rydz
Chris Dobey 3-4 Luke Humphries
Evening Session:
James Wade 4-0 Martijn Kleermaker
Gary Anderson 4-3 Rob Cross
Peter Wright 4-1 Ryan Searle
Saturday January 1 Order of Play:
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
James Wade v Mervyn King
Luke Humphries v Gary Anderson
Evening Session (1930 GMT)
Peter Wright v Callan Rydz
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith
Mervyn King will look to continue his impressive run at the Alexandra Palace when he faces James Wade in the opening quarter-final at 12:30 (Wade 4/9, King 7/4 – Match Betting).
Veteran King fought back from 3-0 down against Raymond Smith to book his place in the last eight for the first time in 13 years.
Three-time semi-finalist Wade enjoyed a more straightforward passage as he beat Dutch debutant Martijn Kleermaker 4-0.
At 14:30, Luke Humphries faces a tough battle as he tries to upset two-time champion, Gary Anderson (Humphries 11/10, Anderson 8/11 – Match Betting).
Humphries has already made big plans for 2022, claiming he wants to secure a spot in the line-up for the Premier League.
He told Sky Sports: “The future is looking great. This has always been an older man’s sport; now we’re starting to get the younger players in, but put us all in the Premier League, lets mix it about.
“This year, after that UK Open final, I thought if I can really push on this year, I can get in that Premier League, and I still believe I’m in with a shot.
“Nothing means more to me than playing on TV, and if I can get into that Premier League, it’s what I want. I want to be in there, mixing it with the best.”
Peter Wright’s meeting with Callan Rydz is due to start at 19:30 (Wright 4/9, Rydz 7/4 – Match Betting), before defending champion Gerwyn Price faces Michael Smith (Price 4/7, Smith 7/5 – Match Betting).
PDC World Darts Championship Odds