Aperçu des Ladbrokes UK Open 2024 – Gilding vise un deuxième titre consécutif

The 2024 Ladbrokes UK Open: Andrew Gilding Begins Title Defense

The highly anticipated 2024 Ladbrokes UK Open kicks off on Friday, with defending champion Andrew Gilding leading a star-studded field of 158 players at Butlin’s Minehead Resort. This unique multi-board event, taking place from March 1-3, will see PDC Tour Card Holders competing against Rileys Amateur Qualifiers and players from the Winmau Challenge and Development Tours.

A Star-Studded Field

Day One of the £600,000 event will feature all 158 players in action, as the first four rounds take place across eight stages. The opening round will showcase Tour Card Holders ranked 97-126, players from the 2023 Challenge and Development Tours, and 16 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers. The winners of the first round will then compete against Tour Card Holders ranked 65-96 in the second round. The third round will include Tour Card Holders ranked 33-64, along with the 32 winners from the previous round.

The real excitement begins on Friday evening, as the world’s top 32 players enter the competition. This includes reigning champion Andrew Gilding, world number one Luke Humphries, and teenage sensation Luke Littler. Former champions Michael van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall, Danny Noppert, Peter Wright, James Wade, Gary Anderson, and Raymond van Barneveld will also join the action, ensuring a thrilling opening night.

Gilding Aims to Make History

Last year, Andrew Gilding stunned the darts world by defeating Michael van Gerwen in a last-leg shoot-out to become the oldest first-time winner of a televised PDC event. Gilding had previously made his breakthrough at the UK Open in 2015, narrowly losing to Van Gerwen in a remarkable semi-final despite averaging over 108.

“I really don’t know what it is about this tournament that brings the best out of me,” admitted Gilding, who is aiming to become the fourth player to retain the UK Open title, following in the footsteps of Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, and Michael van Gerwen.

Gilding’s victory last year was a dream come true, and he still cherishes the moment. “It still feels quite unreal. People say to me: ‘Nobody can ever take that away from you’. I’ve still got the trophy sitting next to me in the living room!”

As the reigning champion, Gilding acknowledges the added pressure but believes his experience will be an asset in the later stages of the tournament. “I don’t have to cross that hurdle anymore, so in those tight matches, I will have a little bit of extra confidence.”

Humphries and Searle Among the Contenders

World Champion Luke Humphries will also be one of the headline acts at the UK Open. Having won his last televised ranking title at Minehead in November, Humphries is eager to continue his impressive form and secure another major title. “This tournament was where I made my big breakthrough, and if you look at the trajectory of my career since then, that’s what kick-started my rise, so it holds great memories for me,” he said.

Ryan Searle, a rising star from Somerset, will be another player to watch. After reaching three consecutive ProTour finals earlier this month, Searle is brimming with confidence and is considered one of the form players. “I’ve started the season really well. My averages are up there, my finishing has been really good, and the new darts are going nicely. I think my results and performances over the last few weeks show I’m one of the form players, and I feel that if I play my game, then I can beat anybody,” Searle declared.

With an exciting mix of established champions and emerging talents, the 2024 Ladbrokes UK Open promises to be a thrilling showcase of darting excellence. Stay tuned for more updates on the tournament as it unfolds!

2024 Ladbrokes UK Open – First Round Matches:

• Jacques Labre Bye
• Christian Kist v Patrick Geeraets
• Matthew Dennant v Jeffrey de Graaf
• Conan Whitehead v Leonard Gates
• Dom Taylor v Brandon Western
• Lukas Wenig v Tom Lonsdale
• Jarred Cole Bye
• Leighton Bennett v Scott Mitchell
• Danny Lauby v Nathan Rafferty
• Kevin Burness v John Henderson
• Owen Bates v Andy Boulton
• Connor Scutt v Wesley Plaisier
• Jules van Dongen v Thibault Tricole
• Jack Male v Martijn Dragt
• Ashley Coleman v Tim Wolters
• Brett Claydon v Thomas Lovely
• Bradly Roes v Benjamin Reus
• Haupai Puha v Jelle Klaasen
• Jitse van der Wal v Johnny Haines
• Sebastian Bialecki v Jenson Walker
• Bradley Brooks v Cam Crabtree
• Paul Krohne v Michael Taylor
• Christopher Toonders v Chris Landman
• George Killington v Radek Szaganski
• Rusty-Jake Rodriguez v Ron Meulenkamp
• Harry Gregory v Rhys Griffin
• Joe Croft v William Borland
• Jason Hogg v Darren Beveridge
• Harry Lane v Dominik Gruellich
• Darryl Pilgrim v Joshua Richardson
• Michele Turetta v Robert Grundy
• David Sumner v Wessel Nijman

Second Round Matches:

• Niels Zonneveld v Sumner/Nijman
• Arron Monk v Dylan Slevin
• Ronny Huybrechts v Lane/Gruellich
• Toonders/Landman v Lee Evans
• James Hurrell v Croft/Borland
• Geert Nentjes v Pascal Rupprecht
• Pilgrim/Richardson v Keegan Brown
• Berry van Peer v Maik Kuivenhoven
• Hogg/Beveridge v Bennett/Mitchell
• Jurjen van der Velde v Jeffrey de Zwaan
• Gregory/Griffin v Whitehead/Gates
• Karel Sedlacek v Robert Owen
• Killington/Szaganski v Robbie Knops
• Scutt/Plaisier v Puha/Klaasen
• Jacques Labre v Steve Lennon
• Bates/Boulton v Graham Usher
• Turetta/Grundy v Jarred Cole
• Krohne/M Taylor v Graham Hall
• Jeffrey Sparidaans v Christian Perez
• Bialecki/Walker v Coleman/Wolters
• Daniel Klose v Adam Warner
• Dennant/De Graaf v Danny van Trijp
• Brooks/Crabtree v Van Dongen/Tricole
• D Taylor/Western v Burness/Henderson
• Adam Smith-Neale v Kist/Geeraets
• Male/Dragt v Lauby/Rafferty
• Wenig/Lonsdale v Roes/Reus
• Callum Goffin v Nick Kenny
• Andy Baetens v Claydon/Lovely
• Owen Roelofs v Stephen Burton
• Van der Wal/Haines v Mario Vandenbogaerde
• Josh Payne v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez/Meulenkamp

Third Round Matches:

• Mike De Decker v Zonneveld/Sumner/Nijman
• Goffin/Kenny v Matt Campbell
• Wenig/Lonsdale/Roes/Reus v Callan Rydz
• Van Peer/Kuivenhoven v Simon Whitlock
• Steve Beaton v Payne/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez/Meulenkamp
• Martin Lukeman v Jermaine Wattimena
• Gian van Veen v D Taylor/Western/Burness/Henderson
• Alan Soutar v Baetens/Claydon/Lovely
• Mervyn King v Killington/Szaganski/Knops
• William O’Connor v Mensur Suljovic
• Bates/Boulton/Usher v R Huybrechts/Lane/Gruellich
• Sedlacek/Owen v Kevin Doets
• Brooks/Crabtree/Van Dongen/Tricole v Cameron Menzies
• Pilgrim/Richardson/Brown v Jamie Hughes
• Keane Barry v Hurrell/Croft/Borland
• Bialecki/Walker/Coleman/Wolters v Ryan Joyce
• Ryan Meilke v Nentjes/Rupprecht
• Dennant/De Graaf/Van Trijp v Hogg/Beveridge/Bennett/Mitchell
• Jim Williams v Gregory/Griffin/Whitehead/Gates
• Adam Gawlas v Turetta/Grundy/Cole
• Roelofs/Burton v Richard Veenstra
• Ricky Evans v Toonders/Landman/L Evans
• Male/Dragt/Lauby/Rafferty v Labre/Lennon
• Ricardo Pietreczko v Krohne/Mi Taylor/Hall
• Boris Krcmar v Ritchie Edhouse
• Scutt/Plaisier/Puha/Klaasen v Klose/Warner
• Luke Woodhouse v Monk/Slevin
• Van der Velde/De Zwaan v Smith-Neale/Kist/Geeraets
• Van der Wal/Haines/Vandenbogaerde v Florian Hempel
• Mickey Mansell v Ian White
• Vincent van der Voort v Sparidaans/Perez
• Rowby-John Rodriguez v Madars Razma

Players 1-32 – Enter in Fourth Round:

• Luke Humphries
• Michael van Gerwen
• Michael Smith
• Nathan Aspinall
• Gerwyn Price
• Rob Cross
• Danny Noppert
• Peter Wright
• Jonny Clayton
• Dave Chisnall
• Damon Heta
• Dirk van Duijvenbode
• Joe Cullen
• Dimitri Van den Bergh
• Chris Dobey
• Ross Smith
• Stephen Bunting
• Ryan Searle
• Andrew Gilding
• James Wade
• Josh Rock
• Gabriel Clemens
• Martin Schindler
• Krzysztof Ratajski
• Gary Anderson
• Jose de Sousa
• Brendan Dolan
• Daryl Gurney
• Raymond van Barneveld
• Luke Littler
• Scott Williams
• Kim Huybrechts

Schedule of Play:

Friday, March 1 – Afternoon Session (1100 GMT, Main Stage from 1145)

Matches:

Haupai Puha v Jelle Klaasen (R1)

Sebastian Bialecki v Jenson Walker (R1)

Jeffrey Sparidaans v Christian Perez (R2)

Jacques Labre v Steve Lennon (R2)

Jurjen van der Velde v Jeffrey de Zwaan (R2)

Brooks/Crabtree v Van Dongen/Tricole (R2)

Rowby-John Rodriguez v Madars Razma (R3)

Steve Beaton v Payne/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez/Meulenkamp (R3)

Jim Williams v Gregory/Griffin/Whitehead/Gates (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Two (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

Connor Scutt v Wesley Plaisier (R1)

Rusty-Jake Rodriguez v Ron Meulenkamp (R1)

Jules van Dongen v Thibault Tricole (R1)

Danny Lauby v Nathan Rafferty (R1)

Geert Nentjes v Pascal Rupprecht (R2)

Karel Sedlacek v Robert Owen (R2)

Andy Baetens v Claydon/Lovely (R2)

Gregory/Griffin v Whitehead/Gates (R2)

Martin Lukeman v Jermaine Wattimena (R3)

Van Peer/Kuivenhoven v Simon Whitlock (R3)

Gian van Veen v D Taylor/Western/Burness/Henderson (R3)

Brooks/Crabtree/Van Dongen/Tricole v Cameron Menzies (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Three (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

Christian Kist v Patrick Geeraets (R1)

Leighton Bennett v Scott Mitchell (R1)

Matthew Dennant v Jeffrey de Graaf (R1)

Conan Whitehead v Leonard Gates (R1)

Owen Roelofs v Stephen Burton (R2)

Van der Wal/Haines v Mario Vandenbogaerde (R2)

Josh Payne v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez/Meulenkamp (R2)

Wenig/Lonsdale v Roes/Reus (R2)

Boris Krcmar v Ritchie Edhouse (R3)

Goffin/Kenny v Matt Campbell (R3)

Alan Soutar v Baetens/Claydon/Lovely (R3)

Ricky Evans v Toonders/Landman/L Evans (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Four (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

Dom Taylor v Brandon Western (R1)

Lukas Wenig v Tom Lonsdale (R1)

Kevin Burness v John Henderson (R1)

Owen Bates v Andy Boulton (R1)

Daniel Klose v Adam Warner (R2)

Ronny Huybrechts v Lane/Gruellich (R2)

Niels Zonneveld v Sumner/Nijman (R2)

Hogg/Beveridge v Bennett/Mitchell (R2)

Mickey Mansell v Ian White (R3)

Ryan Meilke v Nentjes/Rupprecht (R3)

Van der Wal/Haines/Vandenbogaerde v Florian Hempel (R3)

Van der Velde/De Zwaan v Smith-Neale/Kist/Geeraets (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Five (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

Jack Male v Martijn Dragt (R1)

Ashley Coleman v Tim Wolters (R1)

Brett Claydon v Thomas Lovely (R1)

Bradly Roes v Benjamin Reus (R1)

Callum Goffin v Nick Kenny (R2)

James Hurrell v Croft/Borland (R2)

Toonders/Landman v Lee Evans (R2)

D Taylor/Western v Burness/Henderson (R2)

William O’Connor v Mensur Suljovic (R3)

Sedlacek/Owen v Kevin Doets (R3)

Mike De Decker v Zonneveld/Sumner/Nijman (R3)

Scutt/Plaisier/Puha/Klaasen v Klose/Warner (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Six (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

Jitse van der Wal v Johnny Haines (R1)

Bradley Brooks v Cam Crabtree (R1)

Paul Krohne v Michael Taylor (R1)

Christopher Toonders v Chris Landman (R1)

Adam Smith-Neale v Kist/Geeraets (R2)

Killington/Szaganski v Robbie Knops (R2)

Pilgrim/Richardson v Keegan Brown (R2)

Male/Dragt v Lauby/Rafferty (R2)

Luke Woodhouse v Monk/Slevin (R3)

Keane Barry v Hurrell/Croft/Borland (R3)

Adam Gawlas v Turetta/Grundy/Cole (R3)

Bialecki/Walker/Coleman/Wolters v Ryan Joyce (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Seven (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

George Killington v Radek Szaganski (R1)

Darryl Pilgrim v Joshua Richardson (R1)

Joe Croft v William Borland (R1)

Jason Hogg v Darren Beveridge (R1)

Berry van Peer v Maik Kuivenhoven (R2)

Dennant/De Graaf v Danny van Trijp (R2)

Turetta/Grundy v Jarred Cole (R2)

Scutt/Plaisier v Puha/Klaasen (R2)

Vincent van der Voort v Sparidaans/Perez (R3)

Mervyn King v Killington/Szaganski/Knops (R3)

Wenig/Lonsdale/Roes/Reus v Callan Rydz (R3)

Ricardo Pietreczko v Krohne/M Taylor/Hall (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Stage Eight (1100 GMT onwards)

Matches:

Harry Lane v Dominik Gruellich (R1)

Harry Gregory v Rhys Griffin (R1)

Michele Turetta v Robert Grundy (R1)

David Sumner v Wessel Nijman (R1)

Arron Monk v Dylan Slevin (R2)

Krohne/M Taylor v Graham Hall (R2)

Bates/Boulton v Graham Usher (R2)

Bialecki/Walker v Coleman/Wolters (R2)

Roelofs/Burton v Richard Veenstra (R3)

Pilgrim/Richardson/Brown v Jamie Hughes (R3)

Male/Dragt/Lauby/Rafferty v Labre/Lennon (R3)

Dennant/De Graaf/Van Trijp v Hogg/Beveridge/Bennett/Mitchell (R3)

Friday, March 1 – Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Fourth Round Matches:

(8x Stages, 4 Matches per board)

Saturday, March 2 – Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)

Fifth Round Matches:

(4x Stages, 4 Matches per board)

Saturday, March 2 – Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Sixth Round Matches:

(2x Stages, 4 Matches per board)

Sunday, March 3 – Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Sunday, March 3 – Evening Session (1900 GMT)

Semi-Finals & Final

Stage Locations:

Main Stage: Skyline Pavilion

Stage Two: Reds

Stages Three-Eight: Centre Stage

Format:

First Round-Third Round: Best of 11 legs

Fourth Round-Quarter-Finals: Best of 19 legs

Semi-Finals & Final: Best of 21 Legs

Prize Fund:

Winner: £110,000

Runner-up: £50,000

Semi-finalists: £30,000

Quarter-finalists: £15,000

Last 16: £10,000

Last 32: £5,000

Last 64: £2,500

Last 96: £1,500

Last 128: £1,000

Total: £600,000