Fourteen debutants will realise a dream when they set foot on the Alexandra Palace stage for the first time at the PDC World Darts Championship.
PDC World Darts Championship: 5 Debutants to Watch at Ally Pally
All 14 would dearly love to emulate what Luke Littler did 12 months ago by going on to reach the final at the first time of asking. Or Rob Cross, seven years earlier, who went all the way to lift the trophy on his debut. Such sporting dreams rarely become a reality but here are a handful of rookies to keep an eye on at this year’s event.
PDC World Darts Championship: Rhys Griffin
From Leighton Rees through Richie Burnett to Gerwyn Price, Wales has produced its share of world champions and Rhys Griffin would love to be the next name on that list. From Llanbradach, just north of Caerphilly, but now living in England, it has been a tough year for the 27-year-old on tour with far more losses than wins.
But timing is everything and Griffin hit the right notes in qualifying at the end of November, beating former Premier League star Jose de Sousa, among others, to book his first trip to the Palace. His reward is a first round showdown with experienced Czech star Karel Sedlacek for the right to play No.18 seed Josh Rock in round two.
PDC World Darts Championship: Alexis Toylo
Five wins on the Asian Tour nailed down Alexis Toylo’s first shot at the PDC World Championship and if his nickname is anything to go by, don’t expect too many nerves. The Filipino 32-year-old goes by the moniker of Cool Cat, because apparently he produces his best darts under pressure. He has played at a World Cup alongside fellow countryman Christian Perez and his prize for making this big stage is a game with Holland’s Richard Veenstra, with the winner facing Krzysztof Ratajski in the second round.
PDC World Darts Championship: Alexander Merkx
A total of 16 Dutch players are at the Palace this year and with all eyes on legends like Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld, Alexander Merkx will doubtless go under the radar. The 30-year-old has played at a WDF World Finals with no great fanfare but is a far better player now having won twice on the PDC’s Challenge Tour to finish fourth in their order of merit. Merkx plays Stephen Burton for the right to challenge Chris Dobey in the last 64.
PDC World Darts Championship: Romeo Grbavac
Winning the Eastern European qualifiers for Ally Pally is a tough school and it’s an honour that has fallen to Croatia’s Romeo Grbavac this year. But few were surprised to see Grbavac make it, especially after his feats at the World Cup earlier this year when he and Boris Krcmar teamed up to beat Canada and Wales. That makes Grbavac an awkward first hurdle for Callan Rydz, with the winner pencilled in to play Martin Schindler.
PDC World Darts Championship: Lok Yin Lee
Dragon Boy is only 23-years-old but take him lightly at your peril. There is plenty of promise out in the Far East and Lok Yin Lee, a winner at both soft-tip and steel-tip darts, has pedigree. Three visits to the World Cup suggest the big stage won’t daunt this confident young man who takes on Holland’s Chris Landman in round one.
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