THE first round of any event tends to tell us what kind of depth and strength the players will bring, and this year, for the 2021 PDC World Darts Championship, it is no different. Even with a global pandemic we have competitors that have fought their way here and made huge sacrifices just to have the chance to play at the most iconic darts arena at Christmas time.
Whilst the top 32 seeded players have to wait for their opponent in round two, we can now look at where the dark horses may come from in the earlier round. There are some players who have made huge strides and created big impressions in 2020, and for this reason they simply cannot be ignored.
Below I have picked out five matches from the first round that really tantalise the taste buds, not just for the game itself, but for who lies in wait when the winner is determined. Round one always produces stories, and if we get something like we did 12 months ago with Luke Humphries v Jermaine Wattimena, we will not be left crestfallen.
Pick of the first round matches
Luke Humphries v Paul Lim
With two quarter finals under his belt the last couple of years, Humphries will go into this tournament with a smidgen of form and some sneaky confidence about taking out The Singapore Slinger and legend of the sport, Paul Lim. Luke has made strides in identifying his goals for the future, and after holding the World Youth title for a year, he will now look to the long term as a senior player to unlock what he needs to do to make his mark on the world stage in a larger way. Experience has to be gained and used, and that's what Lim has in abundance.
Lim presents a genuine threat to the possibility of a Humphries/Wattimena rematch at the palace in round two, and I think the only separator here is matches under their belt lately, and Luke has that.
With a crowd set to be in the arena, Lim will have the support, albeit muted, and if Luke can shoulder the one night only responsibility of being the heel player, he can win this in 4 sets for me. He will have to be wary of the pace of the game though, as they play so differently.
Tip – Humphries to win the match 3-1 at 9/4
Dirk Van Duivenbode v Bradley Brooks
Dirk has been one of the stories of 2020, and even when he made the final of The World Grand Prix in October, people thought it came out of the blue. That is not the case, as he had showed genuine form pre-lockdown, and had made huge strides after regaining his tour card at the year's beginning. A lot has been made of his day job, working on an aubergine farm, but like an egg plant, he is versatile when put under heat and pressure and has proved that the last 11 months.
He will not have it easy against the new World Youth Champion in Bam Bam Bradley Brooks. Even though Brad did not show his best in the final to win that title, he showed a new focus and steely determination which is vital in set play. If he can maintain that, he will stand a chance of the upset here. As Brooks swaggers to the oche, he may want to get into a slugfest with Dirk, and I think it wouldn’t be the worst idea. Get up there with a free rein and take it to The Titan. Brooks for me has nothing to lose, as most analysts will look for Dirk v former champion Rob Cross in round two. If Dirk wins this game, I believe Cross is in real trouble with the Dutchman on current levels of form.
Tip – Dirk to win, with biggest checkout at 8/11
Damon Heta v Danny Baggish
Even though Damon Heta has not won the most ranking money for a first year player on a new tour card, I look at him as rookie of the year, and the more people you speak to, the bigger impression you will get about how highly regarded he is, not just for this event, but for the next 5-10 years in the sport. He has a flawless action, classic poise and right now the most important thing, confidence. A winner on tour in his first full season and a recent winner of the PDC’s Home Tour 3, he will relish the very tough challenge of the American Danny Baggish.
Baggish got himself a bit of a following 12 months ago, and proved that he wasn’t afraid to get gritty against tough opponents, but his preparations haven’t been as ideal in 2020, and he cannot possibly feel as assured as he did last December, so I am not going to deviate away from The Heat, and I genuinely think that Damon will take Baggish out comfortably, like he did De Sousa last year.
Just the thought of Heta v two time champion Adrian Lewis in the next round gets my juices flowing. For the record, I think Heta wins his quarter of the draw (currently available at 9/1).
Tip – Heta to win the match 3-0 at 6/4
Adam Hunt v Lisa Ashton
You probably think that I have picked this match out purely because one of the best female players of all time is making her second appearance at Ally Pally here, but that isn’t the most important thing in this game. Lisa qualified as the top earner at the inaugural Women’s Series back in October, and has also just concluded her first year on the PDC tour, and even though she did not make a massive run to the last 8 in any events, she did take larger steps in Players' Championships than any woman has ever done. With that in mind, her record against Adam this year is two wins from two, which IS the reason I have chosen this match as a stand out.
DAY FOUR LATEST
Lisa Ashton is off the mark at the Summer Series with a 6-4 win over Adam Hunt.
Gerwyn Price and Peter Wright among the players safely through to round two. pic.twitter.com/jaNr9pMiPb
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 11, 2020
Adam will not like this draw at all, and will remember those two 6-4 losses. The one thing that is drastically different since then though, is Adam's form. He has looked much sharper in the second half of the year compared to the first, and this will make him feel better about his chances on the big blue stage 24 months on from his debut. This is a coin flip for me, and will all be about how Adam responds to a possible slow start. Jamie Hughes awaits in round two, and that is a big chance for one of this trio of players to make round three.
Tip – Match to go all the way to 5 sets at 7/4
Jeff Smith v Keane Barry
Match of the first round, BAR NONE!! Excitement, fast paced, generational gap, you name it, this game has it. Smith will be the favourite of course as the experienced, former Lakeside finalist with big runs in tour events this year. However, he will be on major guard for the firecracker that is Keane Barry.
Barry has won almost everything the junior and youth world has to offer, and next season he steps into the lion's den as a full-time pro, at the mere age of 18. He got a dose of experience last year playing against Vincent van der Voort in round one. That didn’t go his way, but he has another free hit here and will pose lots of problems for Smith, and if his jet lag isn’t wiped away before this opening night encounter, the Irish boy could jig his way to a duel with Geordie Chris Dobey.
However, the wily Canadian has been good lately and has found that snarl and will want to cash big here, after doing more air miles than any player on the tour in 2020.
Smith to win the match at 4/5
Barry most 180s at 10/11
