Peter Wright will open his title defence against either Krzysztof Ratajski or Simon Whitlock, while five-time Masters champion Michael van Gerwen plays Jose de Sousa or Jonny Clayton. World champion Gerwyn Price could meet Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals should they both progress
Tuesday 5 January 2021 16:37, UK
Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson could meet in a repeat of their World Darts Championship final at the Masters.
Welshman Price lifted his maiden world title with a 7-3 victory over Anderson at Alexandra Palace on Sunday and the new world No 1 could face The Flying Scotsman again at the Masters tournament which is being expanded to feature 24 players this year.
The pair are projected to meet in the quarter-finals, but first Price must get past Joe Cullen or Stephen Bunting, with both having impressed at the World Championship recently, in the first round, while eighth seed Anderson will face the winner of the tie between Michael Smith and Adrian Lewis.
Peter Wright will defend his title in this year's Masters, having defeated Michael Smith in the 2020 tournament to end Michael van Gerwen's five-year reign as champion.
Dimitri Van den Bergh, Glen Durrant, Krzysztof Ratajski, Jose De Sousa, Chris Dobey and Jeffrey de Zwaan will all be making their debuts at the event which will see prize money increasing to £220,000.
Play will commence on Friday January 29, with the players ranked 9-24 playing off in the first round as the extended format begins.
The world's top eight players will then enter at the second-round stage on Saturday January 30, with play to be split across two sessions on the day.
The tournament will then conclude on Sunday January 31 with the quarter-finals in the afternoon session and the semi-finals and final in the evening session.
The Masters will be held behind closed doors at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes due to current restrictions.
(1) Gerwyn Price vs (16) Joe Cullen or (17) Stephen Bunting
(8) Gary Anderson vs (9) Michael Smith or (24) Adrian Lewis
(4) Rob Cross vs (13) Glen Durrant or (20) Mervyn King
(5) Nathan Aspinall vs (12) Ian White or (21) Mensur Suljovic
(2) Michael van Gerwen vs (15) Jose de Sousa or (18) Jonny Clayton
(7) James Wade vs (10) Dimitri Van den Bergh or (23) Chris Dobey
(3) Peter Wright vs (14) Krzysztof Ratajski or (19) Simon Whitlock
(6) Dave Chisnall vs (11) Daryl Gurney or (22) Jeffrey de Zwaan
2021 Ladbrokes Masters
Friday January 29 (1900 GMT)
First Round x8
Best of 11 legs
Saturday January 30
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Second Round x4
Best of 19 legs
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Second Round x4
Best of 19 legs
Sunday January 31
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Best of 19 legs
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals & Final
Best of 21 legs
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