UK Open Darts 2022 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play
The 2022 UK Open enters its business end in Minehead on Saturday with the Fifth Round and Last 16 ties contested over two sessions.
A frenetic opening day of the prestigious multi-board major saw the opening four rounds take place across eight stages at the Butlins Minehead Resort.
The field has already been whittled down from 158 players to just 32, with the world’s top five among those left standing, as well as six players entering uncharted territory at this stage of the competition.
The afternoon session plays host to the Fifth Round ties held across four stages, with the Main Stage action kicking off with a clash between world number nine Dimitri van den Bergh and world number 16 Ryan Searle.
Van den Bergh enjoyed a blistering start to the weekend by thrashing Daryl Gurney 10-2 with a 104 average, while Searle recovered from 6-2 down to dispatch two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis 10-7 and equal his best-ever run in this event.
Michael van Gerwen steps up his quest for a fourth UK Open title with a show-down against former World Series event winner Damon Heta.
Van Gerwen picked up from where he left off in winning Night Four of the Premier League on Thursday as he knocked out rival Gary Anderson 10-7 in his opener.
The Dutchman, however, will be keen to improve on his match average of 93.8 as he looks to make it nine wins from 12 encounters against the Australian – who saw off Andy Boulton on Friday evening.
Peter Wright played through the pain barrier as he defied back pain to defeat fellow Premier League star Joe Cullen 10-6, and the reigning World Champion returns to the Main Stage to face 2012 European Champion Simon Whitlock.
Wright would be crowned world number one for the first time in his career this weekend should Gerwyn Price fail to reach the final, but Snakebite will look to take matters into his own hands by claiming this title for the second time.
Whitlock held his nerve to edge out Maik Kuivenhoven in a last-leg decider on the outer boards on Friday and is appearing at this stage of the tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
Last weekend’s International Open champion Price continues his bid for back-to-back ranking titles when he takes on former Czech Open winner Jamie Hughes.
Price averaged 98 in a comfortable 10-5 win over Krzysztof Ratajski in the Last 64 and has made at least the Quarter-Final stage in each of his last five UK Open campaigns, including runs to the final in 2017 and 2020.
Hughes started out in the Third Round, thrashing Madars Razma 6-1 before seeing off Czech youngster Adam Gawlas 10-5 in the evening.
Stage Two sees Jonny Clayton take on Jose de Sousa in a repeat of last year’s Premier League final – which the Welshman won to triumph in his debut campaign.
World Grand Prix semi-finalist Danny Noppert faces former German Championship winner Devon Petersen, while two-time world finalist Michael Smith comes up against German number one Gabriel Clemens – who knocked out Rob Cross in the previous round.
James Wade, who averaged 104 in a high quality win over Steve Lennon on Friday, continues the defence of his title with a clash against fellow left-hander Ron Meulenkamp.
Dave Chisnall, whose best run in this event saw him reach the Semi-Finals a decade ago, takes on Croatia’s Boris Krcmar on Stage Three, as world number 14 Dirk van Duijvenbode faces German ace Martin Schindler.
Two players featuring at this stage of the competition for the first time go head-to-head as teenage Irish prospect Keane Barry meets Dutchman Niels Zonneveld, while World Championship quarter-finalist Callan Rydz plays 2007 UK Open finalist Vincent van der Voort.
Stage Four sees two-time BDO World Champion Scott Waites take on Ricky Evans – who sensationally recovered from 8-2 down to defeat Darius Labanauskas in a deciding leg on Friday.
Two-time quarter-finalist Mensur Suljovic faces world number 82 Geert Nentjes – who overcame Florian Hempel 10-5 in the Fourth Round.
Ian White, who landed a magnificent 170 checkout in the deciding leg to defeat Luke Humphries last night, returns to face 18-year-old Polish star Sebastian Bialecki – who hit a nine-darter in last year’s UK Open and defeated Matt Campbell, Joe Murnan, Keegan Brown and Ritchie Edhouse on Friday.
William O’Connor aims to reach the Last 16 of the UK Open for the third time, but comes up against 2015 semi-finalist Stephen Bunting – who thrashed Mervyn King 10-4 in his opener.
An open draw will be conducted live on stage for the evening’s Last 16 following the conclusion of the Fifth Round.
The action gets under way from 12.45pm GMT, with Fifth Round and Last 16 ties to be contested over the best of 19 legs.
WATCH DAY TWO OF THE UK OPEN STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)
UK Open 2022 – Day Two Schedule of Play
Saturday March 5
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Last 32
Main Stage
Ryan Searle v Dimitri van den Bergh
Damon Heta v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Simon Whitlock
Jamie Hughes v Gerwyn Price
Stage Two
Danny Noppert v Devon Petersen
Gabriel Clemens v Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton v Jose de Sousa
Ron Meulenkamp v James Wade
Stage Three
Dave Chisnall v Boris Krcmar
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Martin Schindler
Niels Zonneveld v Keane Barry
Callan Rydz v Vincent van der Voort
Stage Four
Scott Waites v Ricky Evans
Mensur Suljovic v Geert Nentjes
Ian White v Sebastian Bialecki
William O’Connor v Stephen Bunting
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Last 16 matches (Played across two stages – TBC)
