Luke Littler and Luke Humphries will dominate the headlines throughout the World Darts Championship but plenty of stories will unfold and stars will emerge away from the world’s very elite.
From female sensation Beau Greaves to European Tour champion Niko Springer, there are numerous players in an extended 128-player World Championship field capable of creating one of this year’s fairytale stories.
Cristo Reyes
Cristo Reyes may have received an extremely tough opener against world number eight Gian van Veen, although he showed plenty of promise when qualifying in his native Spain last month, a campaign which marked his anticipated return to competitive darts. He notably averaged 102.83 in the semi-finals.
Reyes returns to the World Championship for the first time in six years, and is perhaps most renowned for having the the third-highest losing average (106.07) in the tournament’s history when playing his part in a thriller against a then invincible Michael van Gerwen nine years ago.
Ricky Evans
Besides being the fastest and daftest thrower in the world, Ricky Evans remains one of most dangerous unseeded players. His Grand Slam run to the quarter-finals last month, during which he beat Gerwyn Price, hopefully provided him with a confidence boost ahead of the one that truly matters.
Evans, who has reached the third round in four of his last six appearances, will bring the festive cheer to Alexandra Palace, opening his campaign against the returning Man Lok Leung – who became something of a cult hero on his debut two years ago.
Motomu Sakai
Somebody from the PDC Asian Tour annually emerges in fine fashion at the sport’s showpiece staging. From Noel Malicdem to Man Lok Leung to Paolo Nebrida, Alexandra Palace tends to unearth a gem from the Far East and this year could be Motomu Sakai.
Sakai was virtually a complete unknown before this season but the Japanese sensation has scooped five Asian Tour titles and thoroughly impressed in doing so. The 28-year-old recorded eight ton-plus averages this year – more than anyone else on the Asian circuit, and he’s won 78% of the legs in which he’s thrown first.
Niko Springer
Niko Springer returns for his second appearance with a wealth of added experience under his belt. Having been dispatched in an epic against Scott Williams 12 months ago, Springer has pulled up trees during his debut season as a fully-fledged professional.
Springer defeated five major champions in Luke Humphries, Josh Rock, Gian van Veen, Rob Cross and Danny Noppert to win on the European Tour in Hungary in September, with that providing all the evidence needed to prove his potential in this year’s tournament.
Dom Taylor
Not too many players can boast a winning record against Luke Littler but Dom Taylor is one of the few that can. Taylor stunned Littler in March with a sublime 105.69 average, following that with ton-topping averages to beat Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen. His 94.35 seasonal average places him 23rd on tour and his doubling statistics are bettered by only Gian van Veen.
Taylor’s Alexandra Palace debut comes a year later than expected due to a month-long DRA ban, although he’s someone who could turn a few heads. The Bristolian could encounter Jonny Clayton in the second round and he will provide him with a stern test should that materialise.
Beau Greaves
Three-time women’s world champion and two-time Women’s World Matchplay winner Beau Greaves requires no explanation. She’s unequivocally evolved into the most prolific female player ever seen and someone more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the very best.
Greaves, a winner on both the Challenge Tour and the Development Tour this season, averaged in excess of the 100 mark in narrow defeats to both Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson at the recent Grand Slam, having withstood a 107.40 average from Luke Littler in the World Youth Championship semi-finals a month beforehand.
Charlie Manby
Having developed through the respective youth systems alongside world champion Littler and run him close in a World Youth Championship thriller earlier this year, Yorkshire’s Charlie Manby is another prodigiously-talented youngster poised to evolve into one of the world’s best.
Manby sealed a £25,000 Modus Super Super champion’s cheque last month, emulating two-time champion Littler, and won his maiden Development Tour title during a stellar season that also witnessed him record an astronomical 130.70 average with winning legs of 10, 11, 12 and 13 darts.
Cam Crabtree
Cam Crabtree makes his World Championship debut five years after originally picking up a set of darts during lockdown. His debut season on tour has seen him reach three ProTour quarter-finals and acclimatise well to life amongst the elite.
Crabtree clocked two ton-plus averages but also two sub-90 averages when making his initial major appearances at the recent Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals. If he’s able to find something of a B-game, he will be dangerous on the biggest stage.
Bradley Brooks
Bradley Brooks will be most remembered for being on the receiving end of Willie Borland’s unforgettable nine-dart finish four years ago, but Brooks has pedigree of his own and the ceiling he’s shown this season has been remarkable. He’s recorded three 110-plus averages on tour, and notably beat Gerwyn Price to win his maiden Players Championship title in the summer.
In a similar predicament to Wessel Nijman last time around, Brooks encounters Joe Cullen in the first round as a favourite with the bookmakers. That aggrieved Cullen last year, sparked a special performance and him storming out of his post-match press conference.
Karel Sedlacek
Criminally underrated is perhaps the most fitting way to describe Czech number one Karel Sedlacek. Having dropped off the professional tour on two occasions, Sedlacek has been more steady this season, clocking a seasonal average of 93 and currently being situated in 22nd on the FDI form rankings.
His opening round opponent in Wessel Nijman has thoroughly impressed on the ProTour yet his frailties when in major events continues to hinder his progression, and that’s something Sedlacek may be able to step in and take advantage of.
