Fallon Sherrock to make big-stage return at World Series of Darts Finals

The PDC’s first tournament to be staged in front of a live crowd at the Salzburgarena in Austria from September 18-20 will feature Fallon Sherrock, while Glen Durrant will take on Dimitri Van den Bergh

Fallon Sherrock will make her big-stage return against Jeff Smith at the World Series of Darts Finals in Austria next weekend.

Sherrock, who made history as the first woman to win a game at the PDC World Championship last December, will play Canada’s Smith – the former North American Championship winner – in a blockbuster first-round tie, with the winner facing 2018 World Series of Darts Finals champion James Wade.

Glen Durrant and Dimitri Van den Bergh will clash in the tie of the first round, which will be the PDC’s first to be staged in front of a live crowd, at the Salzburgarena in Austria, from September 18-20.

With the world’s top-eight players seeded through to the second round, Friday’s first-round action will feature the 12 invited players from around the world, alongside four qualifiers.

The draw has thrown up a tasty first-round tie between Premier League table-topper Durrant and World Matchplay champion Van den Bergh – with the winner to take on reigning champion and world No 1 Michael van Gerwen.

Glen Durrant will take on World Matchplay champion Dimitri van den Bergh

World champion Peter Wright will take on the winner of the first-round tie between 2019 Brisbane Darts Masters champion Damon Heta and Ian White, while world No 3 Gerwyn Price plays Vincent van der Voort or Joe Cullen.

Austria’s Mensur Suljovic will be banking on home support as he takes on Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski on Friday night, while Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas faces emerging English ace Harry Ward.

Australia’s Simon Whitlock will play Steve Beaton, while top New Zealander Cody Harris takes on Dave Chisnall.

Michael van Gerwen has won four of the previous five stagings of the World Series of Darts Finals

Following Friday’s first round, the eight seeds will enter in Saturday’s second round at the Salzburgarena.

Sunday’s decisive final day will see the quarter-finals held in the afternoon session, with the semi-finals and final in the evening session.

Van Gerwen has won four of the previous five stagings of the World Series of Darts Finals since the event was introduced in 2015, with Wade interrupting that run of success with his 2018 triumph.

First Round – Draw Bracket Order

Glen Durrant v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Jeff Smith v Fallon Sherrock
Krzysztof Ratajski v Mensur Suljovic
Simon Whitlock v Steve Beaton
Ian White v Damon Heta
Cody Harris v Dave Chisnall
Vincent van der Voort v Joe Cullen
Harry Ward v Darius Labanauskas

Second Round – Draw Bracket Order

(1) Michael van Gerwen v Durrant/Van den Bergh
(8) James Wade v J Smith/Sherrock
(4) Michael Smith v Ratajski/Suljovic
(5) Rob Cross v Whitlock/Beaton
(2) Peter Wright v White/Heta
(7) Daryl Gurney v Harris/Chisnall
(3) Gerwyn Price v Van der Voort/Cullen
(6) Nathan Aspinall v Ward/Labanauskas

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