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More than two years have passed since the WDF laid out their intentions to take over the reins of the amateur game’s showpiece staging. Now, after multiple setbacks due to the pandemic, darts returns to the iconic Lakeside Country Club with a prestigious title on the line.
Usually when it comes to a world championship, there are clear favourites to reign victorious and in the process etch their name into the history books, although this tournament doesn’t have that. There are a dozen players, quite possibly more than that, with all the attributes needed to become the WDF world champion.
Newly-integrated professionals Cameron Menzies and Connor Scutt, who rightfully benefitted from the PDC granting their tour card holders who had earned their places at Lakeside with permission to participate, are the leading candidates for glory alongside the likes of top seed Brian Raman, Jim McEwan, the legendary Martin Adams and teenage sensation Luke Littler.
QUARTER ONE
Despite Brian Raman being the top seed, the reigning England Open champion and having recently sealed his PDC tour card, there’s not been much talk about him leading up to his second World Championship. It’s a rarity that a number one seed is allowed to go under the radar, but that could be the case for the Belgian at the Lakeside.
In contrast, 15-year-old debutant Luke Littler has gathered all the attention following a breakthrough season that witnessed him secure an automatic spot after winning the gold-ranked Irish Open in Killarney. Littler undoubtedly has the capabilities of triumphing on debut, with the teenage sensation regularly recording ton-plus averages on the junior circuit.
Littler could encounter New Zealand’s Haupai Puha in the second round, should he overcome Ben Hazel, with the Kiwi fresh from reaching a PDC Challenge Tour final a couple of months ago, while Raman is guaranteed to face a debutant in qualifier Johnny Haines or the WDF’s most-travelled player in John Scott.
Three-time world champion Martin Adams and Jarred Cole collide in the match of the opening round in a clash of the generations, and you’d expect the winner of that fascinating contest to be favourite against Anthony Allen prior to a potential meeting with Belgium’s Raman in the third round.
Ninth seed Richard Veenstra has shown little promise in recent months since winning the Italian Grand Masters, with a possible upset on the cards as he faces the dangerous Slovak Open champion Laszlo Kadar or Andreas Harrysson. Regional qualifiers have done damage at Lakeside previously and either of those two could be next to spring a surprise or two.
Prediction: Raman beats Littler in the quarter-finals
QUARTER TWO
When Mike Warburton sealed a surprise Welsh Open triumph almost four years ago, very few knew too much about the Welshman. He has since then used the introduction of the Live League to really make his name known, and is now one of the main contenders for Lakeside glory.
Placed in the most open quarter of the draw on paper, Warburton will receive his fair share of tough tests along the way, and that starts with either his countryman Mark Graham or Dave Prins – who impressed at February’s World Seniors Championship and returns to Lakeside after eight years away.
Scotland’s Jim McEwan benefitted significantly from his technique amendments during the initial lockdown and has picked up some notable scalps on the professional circuit, with the British Classic champion a sizeable favourite to beat New Zealand’s Landon Gardiner, Denmark Open semi-finalist Aaron Turner and arrange a third round clash with Warburton.
Paul Hogan was a quarter-finalist during his last appearance and often rises to the big occasion, with his opponent Australia’s Justin Thompson possibly short of crucial match practice. ‘Crocodile Dundee’ could then face fifth seed Neil Duff in a real coin-flip encounter, the Northern Irishman being the recent Slovak Masters champion.
Nick Fullwell, one of the newly-integrated professional tour card holders set to compete, makes his Lakeside debut. The West Midlands man could take on Hungarian Classic champion Mark Barilli, should the Scot sweep aside Canadian Rory Hansen as expected, with Barilli returning for the first time in nine years after not winning a match in his previous four attempts.
Prediction: Warburton beats Duff in the quarter-finals
QUARTER THREE
A section involving Denmark Open champion Thibault Tricole, British Open runner-up Connor Scutt and American Leonard Gates is as brutal as it gets at the Lakeside World Championship. Three players who are highly capable of winning the whole shebang and only one of them can reach the quarter-finals.
Scutt has been listed as a somewhat surprise favourite with the bookmakers, predominantly as a result of him having the highest PDC ProTour averages of the five professional participants and having reached a ranking semi-final last month. There are plenty of things leaning towards the Surrey thrower, although his lack of experience in front of the televised cameras could be a concern.
Second seed Thibault Tricole awaits Scutt in the second round, should he see off unheralded Canadian Shawn Burt as envisaged, with the Frenchman having shown promise on the PDC Challenge Tour this year. Gates, meanwhile, could ruffle a few feathers in this quarter after impressing at PDC Qualifying School – during which he posted an astronomical 113.24 average – and landing a nine-dart finish en route to winning last year’s Virginia Beach Classic.
James Richardson is someone more than capable of raining on either of their parades in the quarter-finals, should he see off two tough opponents in Sebastian Steyer and Scott Marsh. Richardson usually shows his best on the stage, while British Open champion Marsh has opted to attend the Challenge Tour events in Germany in preparation.
Seventh seed Andy Baetens enjoyed something of a resurgence towards the backend of last year, winning titles in both Spain and the Czech Republic. The Belgian, like the majority of the Lakeside field, can be inconsistent at times, similar to his potential opponents in Irish Classic champion Shaun McDonald and Dave Parletti.
Prediction: Gates beats Richardson in the quarter-finals
QUARTER FOUR
There were very few who anticipated Wayne Warren becoming world champion two years ago. And, this time around it’s a similar scenario for the Welshman, with his form being patchy to say the least since he sealed that famous triumph, somewhat down to a shoulder problem. Warren could, however, become only the sixth player to win successive titles following Eric Bristow, Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Martin Adams and Glen Durrant.
There’s one name in particular that leaps off the page when it comes to the defending champion’s quarter and that’s Welsh Open winner Cameron Menzies – who has plenty of stage experience under his belt, having appeared at the UK Open, on the European Tour and at Lakeside itself previously.
Menzies has a favourable draw in Ian Jones or Canada’s David Cameron, with Cameron having only won three matches on his previous seven appearances and Jones making his second appearance 14 years after his debut, before potentially meeting Warren, should the 2020 champion see off debutants Lee Shewan or Jordan Brooks.
James Hurrell reached finals in Italy and Wales last year before winning last month’s Isle of Man Classic, and the Gloucestershire thrower became the WDF number one as a result of that scintillating spell. You’d expect either Hurrell or Seacoast Open champion Jules van Dongen to meet Menzies in the last eight.
Van Dongen burst onto the scene last year, winning three ranking tournaments in his native USA, and progressed to pick up a professional tour card in January. The Dutch-American meets either Ryan de Vreede or Francesco Raschini – who makes history in becoming the first Italian player to qualify for a world championship.
Prediction: Menzies beats Hurrell in the quarter-finals
Overall: Menzies beats Raman in the final
