THE Professional Darts Corporation have confirmed that Luke Littler has pulled out of this weekend’s European Open in Germany
Warrington’s 17-year-old darting sensation, the winner of six titles in six months after his stunning run in the World Darts Championships over the last festive period, is one of five throwers from the original list of entries to have withdrawn.
Littler, who won the Poland Masters last weekend, Gary Anderson, Nathan Aspinall, Jonny Clayton and Ryan Joyce will no longer feature in Leverkusen and have been replaced by Ritchie Edhouse, Kevin Doets, Dylan Slevin, Jamie Hughes and Ryan Meikle from the reserve List, with Gian van Veen replacing Anderson as a seed.
Gerwyn Price will begin his defence of the NEO.bet European Darts Open against Gabriel Clemens or Dirk van Duijvenbode, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s event now confirmed.
The Ostermann-Arena will play host to the year’s eighth PDC European Tour event from June 21-23, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize.
Reigning champion Price could kick off his campaign against Van Duijvenbode in a repeat of last year’s final, with world number one Luke Humphries and three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen also in action this weekend.
Friday’s first round – which will be broadcast through PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN – will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as German World Cup star Clemens takes on 2023 runner-up Van Duijvenbode in his opener.
2023 World Champion Michael Smith will play ten-time TV title winner James Wade in another blockbuster tussle, while five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld meets Poland’s number one Krzysztof Ratajski.
UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh – a European Darts Open runner-up in 2022 – plays Ryan Meikle for a place in Saturday’s second round, with 2023 UK Open champion Andrew Gilding up against in-form Swedish star Jeffrey de Graaf.
Former Masters champion Joe Cullen has been pitted against emerging youngster Owen Bates, Daryl Gurney faces Finland’s Marko Kantele, while Mike De Decker and Luke Woodhouse collide in a crucial clash in the race for World Matchplay qualification.
The 16 seeded players will then enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, as Price begins his title defence against home favourite Clemens or Van Duijvenbode.
Top seed Humphries will play 2012 champion Van Barneveld or Ratajski in his opener, while Van Gerwen opens his bid for a record-extending sixth European Darts Open crown against Jamie Hughes or Dylan Slevin.
Second seed Dave Chisnall has been pitted against De Decker or Woodhouse for a place in the last 16, while 2018 World Champion Rob Cross meets either Smith or Wade in a bumper second round tie.
Josh Rock – a winner at last month’s Dutch Darts Championship – begins his bid for a second consecutive European Tour title against Meikle or Van den Bergh, as third seed Damon Heta faces either Radek Szaganski or Dom Taylor.
Germany’s number one Martin Schindler gets his campaign underway against Karel Sedlacek or Matthew Dennant, with two-time European Darts Open champion Peter Wright up against Ritchie Edhouse or Jan Dueckers in round two.
U, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Live coverage of all 2024 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay, and through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
