Australia’s number one and two Simon Whitlock and Kyle Anderson will lock horns for the third time in four weeks after being drawn together in the first round of the inaugural Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters.
The newest event on the World Series circuit starts at the Hisense Arena tomorrow, with the draw for the first round having been completed in Australia a few hours ago.
Former major winner Whitlock defeated Anderson 10-5 when the Aussie pair met in the opening round of the World Matchplay in Blackpool on July 24, before Anderson saw off Whitlock 10-9 in the quarter-finals of the Auckland Darts Masters last Saturday.
Anderson went on to beat James Wade, and then Corey Cadby, to claim his first TV title in Auckland last week, and he will renew rivalries with his World Cup of Darts partner on Friday.
Elsewhere in the draw, reigning world youth champion Cadby, who lost out to Anderson in a last-leg decider in the Auckland Darts Masters last weekend, has been drawn against five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld.
Melbourne-based Cadby recorded wins over Peter Wright, Michael Smith and Phil Taylor on his way to reaching a first senior TV final in Auckland on Sunday.
Taylor will meet emerging Kiwi star Cody Harris in another interesting first-round tie, while top seed Gary Anderson faces DPA Qualifier Justin Thompson, who is making his debut in front of the cameras in Melbourne this weekend.
Another newcomer to the big stage, Sutherland-based real estate business owner Dave Marland, has drawn Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney, while third seed Wade faces New Zealand-born Koha Kokiri.
Reigning UK Open champion Wright plays Hoppers Crossing’s Rhys Mathewson and Smith goes up against Perth-based qualifier David Platt.
Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters
Draw Bracket
Gary Anderson (1) v Justin Thompson
Daryl Gurney v Dave Marland
Peter Wright (4) v Rhys Mathewson
Michael Smith v David Platt
Raymond van Barneveld (2) v Corey Cadby
Phil Taylor v Cody Harris
James Wade (3) v Koha Kokiri
Simon Whitlock v Kyle Anderson
Schedule of Play
Friday August 18 (7pm)
First Round
Daryl Gurney v Dave Marland
Peter Wright v Rhys Mathewson
James Wade v Koha Kokiri
Michael Smith v David Platt
Phil Taylor v Cody Harris
Raymond van Barneveld v Corey Cadby
Gary Anderson v Justin Thompson
Simon Whitlock v Kyle Anderson
Best of 11 legs
Saturday August 19 (7pm)
Quarter-Finals
Order of Play TBC
Best of 19 legs
Sunday August 20 (7pm)
Semi-Finals
Final
Best of 21 legs
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