UK Open Darts 2023 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play
The 2023 UK Open enters its business end at Butlins Minehead on Saturday with 32 players set to be whittled down to just eight.
Day One of the ‘FA Cup of Darts’ saw 126 matches contested across eight stages on a frantic Friday, with 158 hopefuls becoming just 32 by the end of play.
The action will now be held across four stages, with the afternoon session playing host to the Fifth Round ties, before the Last 16 matches take place in the evening.
The Main Stage features a stand-out tie between reigning World Champion Michael Smith and 2021 UK Open runner-up – Luke Humphries.
Smith is bidding to go one better than this time last year, when he was agonisingly denied glory by Danny Noppert in the deciding leg of the final.
The St Helens ace went on to claim his first major title at the Grand Slam in November, before bagging the big one at Ally Pally in January, and started his campaign here with a commanding 10-4 win over his close friend Ian White with a 101.2 average.
Humphries, who edged out Damon Heta 10-9 in Friday’s opener, was defeated by James Wade in his maiden major final behind closed doors two years ago and is defending £40,000 in prize money against his world ranking.
Michael van Gerwen resumes his quest for a fourth UK Open crown with an all-Dutch clash against Martijn Kleermaker.
Van Gerwen lifted this trophy in 2015, 2016 and 2020 and is out to follow up his back-to-back weekly titles in the Premier League by securing what would be a 46th major title.
The world number three overcame last weekend’s Baltic Sea Darts Open champion Dave Chisnall 10-8 in Round Four and now meets the quick-fire Kleermaker – who has seen off Steve Lennon and George Killington en route.
Former World Champion Gerwyn Price kicks off the afternoon’s Main Stage action with a tie against a resurgent Jeffrey de Zwaan.
Price is a two-time UK Open finalist, having lost out to Peter Wright in 2017 and Van Gerwen in 2020, and was a comfortable 10-3 winner over 16-year-old TV debutant Thomas Banks on Friday night with a merciless 103.4 average.
Former World Matchplay semi-finalist De Zwaan started out in Round One has already put Lukas Wenig, Geert Nentjes, James Wilson and Danny Jansen to the sword to equal his best ever run in the event.
Meanwhile, a repeat of an epic World Championship Quarter-Final from two years ago sees Peter Wright take on Callan Rydz.
Wright famously recovered from 3-1 and 4-3 down to edge past Rydz by five sets to four in an Ally Pally classic before going on to capture his second world title.
Wright was back-to-back runner-up in the UK Open in 2015 and 2016 before finally going a step further the following year, and began his latest campaign with a tense 10-9 win over Stephen Bunting – who missed double 12 for a nine-darter in a high quality battle.
Rydz will have revenge in his sights as he bids to equal his run to the Last 16 here a year ago, having dispatched two-time major champion Daryl Gurney 10-7 in his opener with a 99 average.
Stage Two features a mouth-watering show-down between 2019 UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall and world number 12 Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson, the 2018 UK Open winner, looks to follow up his impressive victory over James Wade on the Main Stage when he meets recent ProTour event winner Kim Huybrechts.
Reigning champion Danny Noppert continues the defence of his title with a clash against former World Cup of Darts and European Tour event finalist William O’Connor.
Premier League star Dimitri van den Bergh takes on 2014 semi-finalist Mervyn King, while Stage Three features a repeat of the 2021 Premier League final between Jonny Clayton and Jose de Sousa.
Adrian Lewis, the 2014 UK Open champion, comes up against German number two Martin Schindler, while 2022 Masters champion Joe Cullen faces Czech ace Karel Sedlacek – who averaged 107.5 in one of four victories on the opening day.
Former Lakeside World Champion Richie Burnett looks to extend his resurgent run when he takes on former World Youth champion Ted Evetts, while Stage Two features a tie between reigning Masters champion Chris Dobey and multiple ranking event winner Brendan Dolan.
Former World Champion Rob Cross, UK Open runner-up in 2019, looks back up Friday’s deciding leg win over Raymond van Barneveld by ending the hopes of an in-form Steve Beaton – one of only two ever-presents in this competition.
Czech number one Adam Gawlas meets world number 73 Kevin Doets – who is appearing at this stage of the event for the first time in four appearances.
At the conclusion of the Fifth Round, the draw will be made for the Last 16 – which will take place across two stages in the evening session.
The action gets under way from 12.45pm GMT, with Last 32 and Last 16 ties to be contested over the best of 19 legs.
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UK Open 2023 Day Two Schedule
Saturday March 4
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Last 32
Main Stage
Gerwyn Price v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Michael Smith v Luke Humphries
Martijn Kleermaker v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Callan Rydz
Stage Two
William O’Connor v Danny Noppert
Kim Huybrechts v Gary Anderson
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Nathan Aspinall
Mervyn King v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Stage Three
Richie Burnett v Ted Evetts
Adrian Lewis v Martin Schindler
Joe Cullen v Karel Sedlacek
Jonny Clayton v Jose de Sousa
Stage Four
Adam Gawlas v Kevin Doets
Luke Woodhouse v Andrew Gilding
Chris Dobey v Brendan Dolan
Steve Beaton v Rob Cross
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Last 16 matches (TBC)
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