The road to Alexandra Palace and the World Championship draws nearer, but for 24 darting talents from Europe and across the World, the 2023 Jack’s World Series of Darts gives them a golden opportunity to build momentum and scoop one of the final majors of the darting calendar.
Former two time and reigning Champion Gerwyn Price will be looking to add to his major collections in what’s been a year of ‘nearly’ and truly tense moments and matches for the Iceman. Welsh players have won the last three editions of the World Series Finals, and Price will be looking to be the first man to win it back-to-back since Michael Van Gerwen in 2017.
Speaking of MVG, he returns to his native Netherlands for this major having endured a mixed Summer of results, despite scooping the Premier League once more, the embarrassing early exit in Blackpool at the hands of Brendan Dolan is still fresh in the memory, and the former four time champion will be looking to win the event for the first time in six years.
Taking place in Amsterdam, the tournament was designed to boost the popularity of the sport across the world and in countries that were beginning to develop a great passion for darts, similar to June’s World Cup.
Friday’s opening night will see eight games to determine who goes on to face the remaining eight seeded players: the eight seeded players being Rob Cross, Luke Humphries, Michael Van Gerwen, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, Michael Smith and Peter Wright.
Krzysztof Ratajski, fresh off victory in the German Darts Open, takes on another player enjoying some serious good form in Daniel Klose, who has been producing some excellent form on the Players Championship circuit. The Polish Eagle is soaring right now, with his composed but clinical style winning many plaudits last weekend.
The clash between World no.110 Graham Usher and returning New Zealand star Haupai Puha presents a fantastic opportunity for both men to make a big case for their inclusion in December’s World Championship. The winner of this game will progress to play Peter Wright.
Two more dark horses will clash when Gabriel Clemens faces off with William O’Connor, the former in particular has enjoyed an arguably career-best year, and will be looking to break into the conversation as one of the game’s elite players with a strong performance this weekend.
Another of Friday’s interesting clashes will see a veteran meet a former youth prodigy as Simon Whitlock will hope to brush aside last weekend’s disappointing display in Germany by progressing past Keegan Brown. The Australian has never made it past the quarter finals, whilst Brown will be making a return to the World Series finals for the first time since 2018.
🎯| PRICE PREPARES FOR WORLD SERIES FINALS DEFENCE
— Red Dragon Darts (@reddragondarts) September 15, 2023
Gerwyn Price is in good form coming into the defence of his World Series Finals title, having claimed 3 of the last 5 Players Championship Events in Barnsley and Hildesheim.
⏭️https://t.co/xZ5DoJNOgx pic.twitter.com/eU6A8oex1N
Although unseeded, former winner Jonny Clayton must surely be considered one of the favourites to win the entire event, after his earlier dominant Summer performances as part of Wales’ World Cup winning team alongside Gerwyn Price, as well as his emotional run to the final of the World Matchplay. Martin Schindler has also enjoyed a quietly solid year, and often proves to be a difficult opponent for even the most formidable of players.
In the midst of his career renaissance, Raymond Van Barneveld will undoubtedly be the most popular player of the weekend, though he faces easy challenge in Canadian Jeff Smith, who knows a thing or two about performing well in front of a (relatively) home crowd after his heroics in MSG at the US Masters event.
One of 2023’s most consistently good players, and a dark horse to win this event, is none other than Damon Heta. Taking on ‘Rapid’ Ricky Evans in the first round, Heta’s taken some big scalps in big games this year, but despite some Player Championship triumphs, has yet to taste solo success: could now finally be his time?
And undoubtedly the night’s real main event will see Dutch compatriots and once World Cup teammates Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert face off: both former finalists, each man will be hoping to use the home crowd advantage to finally take them that one step closer to the trophy.
Who do you think will win the 2023 World Series of Darts Finals? Let us know in the comments and over on our official social channels below, where we’ll be providing results and news stemming out of this jam-packed weekend of darts!
For a fourth time... Michael van Gerwen is the World Series Finals Champion
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 3, 2019
...And it's a first televised title in Amsterdam for the Green Machine! pic.twitter.com/tSrlXuJMMb
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