Luke Littler celebrates (Photo by PDC Europe)
The European Darts Grand Prix gets under way in Sindelfingen on Friday as the qualifiers face off in Round One.
The fourth of 13 European Tour events this season sees 48 players competing for £175,000 in prize money at the Glaspalast from April 19-21.
The afternoon session on Day One includes a showdown between World Championship semi-finalist Scott Williams and German star Niko Springer – who has twice reached the Third Round of a Euro Tour event and hit a nine-darter in the Superleague last year.
Former ProTour event winner Callan Rydz opens up against Jeffrey Sparidaans – making only his second Euro Tour appearance, while three-time Euro Tour event winner Joe Cullen faces Sweden’s Johan Engstrom.
Two former major champions lock horns as Daryl Gurney faces Jose De Sousa in a clash of two power-scorers, as former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding plays former World Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan.
Keane Barry, twice a Euro Tour quarter-finalist, comes up against three-time Challenge Tour event winner Stephen Burton, while recent ProTour event semi-finalist Luke Woodhouse faces a tough opener against former Euro Tour finalist Martin Lukeman.
Christian Perez of the Philippines marks his Euro Tour debut with a tie against Dutch left-hander Niels Zonneveld.
The evening session sees Luke Littler return to the Euro Tour stage to take on rank outsider Arno Merk – one of four Host Nation qualifiers in the field.
Premier League star Littler enjoyed a dream Euro Tour debut at the Belgian Open in March when he landed a nine-darter in the final as he went on to defeat Rob Cross 8-7 to claim the title.
Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld looks to end a run of three consecutive First Round exits on the Euro Tour this year when he meets home hopeful Franz Rötzsch.
Former Masters champion Chris Dobey, winner of a recent ProTour event, takes on three-time Euro Tour event winner Ian White, while reigning Masters champion Stephen Bunting faces Croatian qualifier Romeo Grbavac.
Newly-crowned International Open champion Martin Schindler aims to pick up from where he left off in Riesa last week as he opens up against World Youth finalist Gian van Veen in one of the stand-out ties of the First Round.
Ten-time major winner James Wade also faces a tricky opener against in-form Ritchie Edhouse – who reached the quarter-finals of last weekend’s International Open.
Reigning European Champion Peter Wright looks to bounce back from Thursday’s abject display in the Premier League in Rotterdam when he faces Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mansell.
Wright recorded his lowest-ever Premier League average of just 77.5 in a 6-2 defeat to eventual champion Nathan Aspinall and was also dumped out in Round One in Riesa last week by Gabriel Clemens.
Clemens, who is now German number two following Schindler’s success last week, starts out against compatriot Rene Eidams.
The action gets under way from 12pm GMT, with First Round ties to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
WATCH THE EUROPEAN DARTS GRAND PRIX STREAMED LIVE HERE
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European Darts Grand Prix 2024 Day One Schedule
All times BST (local time +1 hour)
Friday April 19
First Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Callan Rydz v Jeffrey Sparidaans
Stephen Burton v Keane Barry
Scott Williams v Niko Springer
Andrew Gilding v Brendan Dolan
Luke Woodhouse v Martin Lukeman
Johan Engstrom v Joe Cullen
Niels Zonneveld v Christian Perez
Jose de Sousa v Daryl Gurney
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Ritchie Edhouse v James Wade
Stephen Bunting v Romeo Grbavac
Franz Roetzsch v Raymond van Barneveld
Chris Dobey v Ian White
Arno Merk v Luke Littler
Martin Schindler v Gian van Veen
Peter Wright v Mickey Mansell
Gabriel Clemens v Rene Eidams
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