Peter Wright misses out as European Tour returns with German Darts Championship
Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Rob Cross headline field at Halle 39
Tuesday 4 September 2018 16:34, UK
Peter Wright has withdrawn from the German Darts Championship which starts on Friday as the European Tour returns.
After a stint on the road with World Series events taking the cream of world darts to the other side of the globe, the PDC roadshow rolls into the familiar surroundings of Hildesheim for the 10th European Tour event of the year where a £25,000 first prize will be up for grabs.
Friday's first round will see 32 qualifiers competing for a place among the seeded names who enter on Saturday.
From the original entries, Wright has been forced to withdraw and is replaced by Steve Beaton as a seeded player, while world No 1 Michael van Gerwen leads the field alongside Shanghai Darts Masters winner Michael Smith and world champion Rob Cross.
In the first round, nine-time televised finalist Terry Jenkins takes on Ross Smith, whose five-year run as the last player to hit a nine-dart finish on the European Tour was ended by Van Gerwen in June.
Another first-round highlight will see Unicorn Development Tour Order of Merit leader Ted Evetts meet former Players Championship Finals runner-up Mark Webster, who is playing in his first European Tour event of the year.
German star Max Hopp headlines the host nation qualifiers, alongside World Cup team-mate Martin Schindler and teenager Nico Blum.
Five Dutch stars, including former European Tour event winner Vincent van der Voort, came through the European Qualifier alongside Spanish pair Cristo Reyes and Toni Alcinas.
German Darts Championship Draw
Rob Cross (3) v Lee Bryant/Kyle Anderson
Simon Whitlock (14) v Michael Rasztovits/David Pallett
Mensur Suljovic (6) v Andrew Gilding/Max Hopp
Darren Webster (11) v Ricky Evans/Danny Noppert
Jonny Clayton (7) v Jermaine Wattimena/James Wilson
James Wade (10) v Robert Thornton/Robert Marijanovic
Michael Smith (2) v Krzysztof Ratajski/Vincent van der Voort
Stephen Bunting (15) v Richard North/Ron Meulenkamp
Daryl Gurney (4) v Darren Johnson/Christopher Hänsch
Mervyn King (13) v Adrian Lewis/Toni Alcinas
Joe Cullen (5) v Andy Boulton/Josh Payne
Gerwyn Price (12) v Darius Labanauskas/Jan Dekker
Ian White (8) v Terry Jenkins/Ross Smith
Dave Chisnall (9) v Ted Evetts/Mark Webster
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Cristo Reyes/Nico Blum
Steve Beaton (16) v Martin Schindler/Justin Pipe
Darts is back on your Sky Sports screens in September with coverage of the World Grand Prix from Dublin where Daryl Gurney defends his maiden major title at the Citywest Hotel.
Seven days of coverage gets underway on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm on Sunday, September 30 and you can follow the unique double-in double-out format right through to the final on Saturday, October 6.
