International Darts Open 2022 | Day One Preview and Order of Play
The 2022 PDC European Tour commences in Riesa on Friday as the 32 qualifiers collide in Round One of the International Darts Open.
The first of 13 European Tour events this season features 48 players battling it out for £140,000 in prize money at the SACHSENarena from February 25-27.
The top 16 players from the ProTour Order of Merit (as of June 28, 2021) are seeded and enter at the Second Round stage, while 32 qualifiers battle it out for the right to join them.
The 32 unseeded players are made up of 23 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers, two Associate Member Qualifiers, five Host Nation Qualifiers, one Nordic & Baltic Qualifier and one East European Qualifier.
The afternoon session sees world number 16 Ryan Searle start out against three-time Challenge Tour event winner Ritchie Edhouse.
Two-time major winner Daryl Gurney kicks off his campaign against 16-year-old Fabian Schmutzler – who made his World Championship debut at Alexandra Palace in December.
One of the stand-out ties of the opening round sees former UK Open finalist Vincent van der Voort take on former World Youth Championship finalist Adam Gawlas.
Brian Raman, the WDF number one and new PDC Tour Card holder, opens up against David Schlichting – one of seven German hopefuls in the competition.
Keane Barry, the 19-year-old Irish star, takes on Dutch left-hander Ron Meulenkamp for the right to face Michael van Gerwen in Saturday’s Second Round.
Luke Woodhouse comes up against Andy Boulton for the right to meet Peter Wright in Round Two, while Latvia’s Madars Razma faces former World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Jones.
Jermaine Wattimena starts out against Host Nation qualifier Niko Springer, while the evening session commences with a tie between Welsh youngster Lewy Williams and Sweden’s Dennis Nilsson.
World number nine Dimitri van den Bergh is the highest ranked player in action on Day One and he opens up with a clash against Martin Lukeman – who reached the Semi-Finals of a Players Championship event last season.
Reigning European Champion Rob Cross looks to bounce back from the disappointment of being left out of the Premier League when he faces Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk, with Jonny Clayton awaiting the winner.
Multiple PDC major finalist Mervyn King takes on Hungary’s Janos Vegso, while German ace Florian Hempel faces a resurgent Kim Huybrechts – twice a Euro Tour event winner.
A mouth-watering all-German clash sees world number 22 Gabriel Clemens face qualifier Nico Kurz – who will look to avenge the defeat to his compatriot in the World Championship two years ago.
Former European Champion Simon Whitlock meets Germany’s Dragutin Horvat, while Associate Member qualifier Danny van Trijp plays Canadian ace Jeff Smith.
The action gets under way from 12pm GMT, with First Round matches to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
WATCH DAY ONE OF THE INTERNATIONAL OPEN STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)
International Darts Open 2022 Day One Schedule
All times GMT (Local time one hour ahead)
Friday February 25
First Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
David Schlichting v Brian Raman
Jermaine Wattimena v Niko Springer
Madars Razma v Wayne Jones
Fabian Schmutzler v Daryl Gurney
Adam Gawlas v Vincent van der Voort
Luke Woodhouse v Andy Boulton
Keane Barry v Ron Meulenkamp
Ryan Searle v Ritchie Edhouse
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Lewy Williams v Dennis Nilsson
Mervyn King v Janos Vegso
Florian Hempel v Kim Huybrechts
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Martin Lukeman
Rob Cross v Krzysztof Kciuk
Gabriel Clemens v Nico Kurz
Simon Whitlock v Dragutin Horvat
Danny van Trijp v Jeff Smith
