These two have only met once before and it was the Scot Alan Soutar who won on that occasion 6-5. During that match however it was Noppert who was the superior player. He averaged seven points higher, led 5-3 and missed two match darts to secure a 6-3 victory before Soutar edged the match. It is similar over the course of the season. Noppert has the higher seasonal average at 95.43 compared to 91.76 and boasts a 71% win rate in 2022, compared to the 56% of Soutar. Noppert is now also a major champion, winning the UK Open in March and he’s gone deep with several others too. Soutar has come through games so far, winning both 3-0. He enjoyed a facile victory over Mail Cuming in the first round before defeating Daryl Gurney in the second but all those sets ended 3-2 so the game could have gone either way. He’s averaged 86 and 92 so far. Noppert averaged 95 in his opener and defeated David Cameron 3-1 who produced a late rally and an unexpected plethora of 180’s late on. Noppert always had control here and I’d expect this game to follow suit. The matches are now slightly longer and that should suit the better and more experienced throwers.

Gary Anderson looked very good in defeating Madars Razma 3-1 in his opening game. He was pushed hard and responded very well, producing a 96.39 average, registering four maximums. Chris Dobey wasn’t as impressive, averaging 86.74 in a 3-0 victory over the Dutch giant Martijn Kleermaker. He did however one more 180 (five) than Anderson in a set less of darts. That’s the angle I’m looking to take here. These pair actually met in a Best of Seven set match in this event in the 2019 event. It was an absolute 180-fest. Anderson won 4-3 but it was Dobey who won the maximum count 15-13. The same is present over the season. Anderson is hitting them at 0.27 per leg, approximately one every four legs and Dobey 0.31, nearer one every three. All in all this could be a tight encounter and I can see it going all the way potentially. They seem to serve up a classic more often than not and although I slightly favour the Scotsman to prevail, I think Dobey could win the maximum count.

The evening action starts with Joe Cullen taking on Damon Heta in what will be their third clash on TV this year. Cullen has won all three. They first met in the World Matchplay and Cullen walloped Heta 10-2, they also met in the New Zealand Darts Masters a month later with Cullen winning comfortably again, 6-2. Their most recent televised clash was at the World Grand Prix, which Cullen won 2-1 in sets, albeit they won 6 legs apiece and had identical averages. Much has been made of Heta’s record on TV so he’ll be pleased to have comfortably breezed past Adrian Lewis 3-0 in his opener, although he wasn’t pushed. Cullen was pushed however and fought off Ricky Evans very well. If he can get Heta under pressure early here and I can see him making 4 from 4 on TV between them this year. Michael Van Gerwen is a short price favourite to defeat Mensur Suljovic who just hasn’t looked the same player in recent years. I think MVG will be dominant from the off, much like his opening game when he won 3-0, losing just one leg across these sets. Both players hit three 180’s in their opener but that was a bit of an outlier for Mensur who hit maximums at half the regularity of MVG at 0.14 per leg compared 0.27 per leg. Over this longer format, if the usually imperious Van Gerwen turns up then the 180 match will be a no contest. Take MVG to win the 180 count with a -3.5 start. The evening concludes with last year's runner up and recent Grand Slam champ Michael Smith taking on Martin Schindler. During last year's event Smith set a record for the number of 180’s hit by a player. The maximums are fulcrum to his rapid style of play and along with Dirk Van Duijvenbode, Ross Smith and possibly Dave Chisnall, he’s one of the best in the World as his 0.33 per leg ratio over the season suggests. Schindler at 0.31 is no slouch in that respect either, he also hit six in his opening game. Watching him however he often powers in his maximums when on the front foot and he’ll be under constant pressure from ‘Bully Boy’ here. The pair have met once this year, in a match over eleven legs. Smith won the maximum count 4-2 on that occasion and over the longer format I can see him being the more consistent. He’s much more used to matches of this length and will be eyeing the title here this week, his 180 hitting can be shown to good effect here.