NOS Sport•
Jermaine Wattimena is the first Dutchman to play at the Darts World Cup, at the end of December in London. The 36-year-old Wattimena, number 36 in the world, will compete against the Swiss Stefan Bellmont (PDC-124) on the opening day (December 15).
Wattimena is one of the sixteen Dutch players participating in the World Cup. It is the first time that so many Dutch darts players are active in the global title tournament of the PDC darts association. The previous record was set in 2019, when thirteen darts players played under the Dutch flag.
Jeffrey de Graaf was then one of the participants for the Netherlands. He is also there this year, but these days he is throwing his arrows on behalf of Sweden, the country of his girlfriend.
Van Gerwen
Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen does not have to take action in the first round. He will face the Englishman James Hurell or the Canadian Jim Long in the second round, on Friday, December 20.
The Darts World Cup in London starts on Sunday, December 15, and the final will be played on Friday, January 3. Frenchman Thibault Tricole and Australian Joe Comito open the tournament.
The winner of that match will get to play again later that evening when, as is tradition, the defending champion comes into action. This year it is Luke Humphries, the English number one in the world.
The sixteen Dutch people in action in ‘Ally Pally’
| Ronde | Datum | ||
| 1 | 15 december | Jermaine Wattimena | Stefan Bellmont (Two) |
| 1 | 16 december | Wesley Plaisier | Ryusei Azemoto (Jap) |
| 1 | 16 december | Niels Zonneveld | Robert Owen (Wal) |
| 1 | 17 december | Kevin Doets | Noa-Lynn van Leuven |
| 1 | 18 december | Christian Kist | Madars Razma (Let) |
| 1 | 19 december | Chris Landman | Lok Yin Lee (Hkg) |
| 1 | 20 december | Alexander Merkx | Stephen Burton (Eng) |
| 1 | 20 december | Wessel Nijman | Cameron Carolissen (ZAf) |
| 1 | 20 december | Jeffrey de Zwaan | Florian Hempel (Dui) |
| 2 | 20 december | Michael van Gerwen | Hurell (Eng) / Long (Can) |
| 1 | 21 december | Richard Veenstra | Alexis Toylo (Fil) |
| 2 | 21 december | Danny Noppert | Joyce (Eng) / Labanauskas (Lit) |
| 2 | 21 december | Raymond van Barneveld | Kenny (WAL) / Buntz (VS) |
| 2 | 22 december | Dirk van Duijvenbode | Kist/Razma |
| 2 | 23 december | Gian van Veen | Pietreczko (Dui) / Zong (Chi) |
A total of 96 players are participating in the World Cup at Alexandra Palace in London. In addition to Wattimena’s early appearance, there are several matches to look forward to.
For example, Noa-Lynn van Leuven, alongside Fallon Sherrock, is one of the two women active in this World Cup. Van Leuven will meet another Dutchman in Kevin Doets in the first round.
32nd World Cup Van Barneveld
Veteran Raymond van Barneveld is going for his 32nd World Cup. The 32nd seed from The Hague enters the second round. If he wins, a match against Humphries will probably await in the third round.
Gian van Veen, who got stuck in the first round on his World Cup debut last year, has already improved his performance. As the new youth world champion, the 22-year-old darts player also enters the second round.
Prize money and luck for Littler
The prize money in London is the same as previous years. The winner of the World Cup can add 500,000 pounds, about 600,000 euros. The losing finalist receives 200,000 pounds, approximately 240,000 euros. A place in the semi-finals earns half the prize. For a nine-darter there is 60,000 pounds (about 72,000 euros) available.
For the young darts sensation Luke Littler, throwing a nine-darter didn’t seem to be profitable. Because he will not turn 18 until the end of January, the betting office that sponsors the £60,000 does not want to pay out to the minor Littler.
However, last year’s losing finalist is lucky. A hotel chain has stepped into the breach and has promised to pay Littler £60,000 per nine-darter.
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