The 2024 Superbet Poland Darts Masters kicks off on Friday evening in Gliwice, marking the second edition of this prestigious World Series of Darts event. Following tournaments in Bahrain, Den Bosch, New York, and Copenhagen, the competition now heads to Polish soil with a star-studded 16-player lineup.
Returning Champions and Top Contenders
Michael van Gerwen, the reigning champion, and top seed Luke Littler make their return after missing the Copenhagen event. Van Gerwen, who posted impressive averages of 110, 104, and 113 en route to victory in last year’s inaugural event in Warsaw, is determined to repeat his performance. He faces a challenging first-round match against Czech player Karel Sedlacek.
Van Gerwen, a three-time World Champion, has not secured a PDC title since his Dutch Darts Masters win in January. Speaking ahead of the event, he expressed his confidence:
“Of course I’m going to win, or I’d have stayed at home. Every tournament I compete in I want to win, and I need to make sure I’m focusing now, because I’ve got a tough first-round game against Karel.”
Van Gerwen
Luke Littler, who will compete against former World Youth Championship runner-up Adam Gawlas, is also eager to make his mark. Gawlas defeated Littler on his way to the UK Open semi-finals in 2023, setting the stage for an intriguing rematch.
Headlining Acts and Key Matches
World Champion Luke Humphries is another highlight of this weekend’s action at the PreZero Arena. Humphries will begin his title challenge against Hungarian debutant Gyorgy Jehirszki. Despite back-to-back semi-final defeats to Rob Cross in New York and Copenhagen, Humphries is optimistic:
“This is a great tournament to be involved in and I’m really happy to be here. I’m just hoping I can produce my A-game this weekend.”
Luke Humphries
The first round on Friday will feature several exciting matchups:
- Stephen Bunting vs. Krzysztof Ratajski: A blockbuster showdown as Poland’s premier player returns to home soil.
- Rob Cross vs. Sebastian Bialecki: US Darts Masters champion Cross faces young prospect Bialecki.
- Michael Smith vs. Radek Szaganski: World number three Smith takes on a home favorite.
- Nathan Aspinall vs. Boris Krcmar: A repeat of their opening round clash from 12 months ago.
- Peter Wright vs. Jacek Krupka: Wright aims to bounce back following an early exit in Copenhagen.
The event will conclude with a bumper evening session on Saturday, featuring the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final in front of a sell-out crowd in Gliwice.
Broadcast Information
The Superbet Poland Darts Masters will be broadcast live on ITV4 in the UK and through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria & Switzerland-based subscribers).
Draw Bracket and Schedule of Play
Draw Bracket
- Luke Littler vs. Adam Gawlas
- Peter Wright vs. Jacek Krupka
- Luke Humphries vs. Gyorgy Jehirszki
- Michael Smith vs. Radek Szaganski
- Rob Cross vs. Sebastian Bialecki
- Stephen Bunting vs. Krzysztof Ratajski
- Michael van Gerwen vs. Karel Sedlacek
- Nathan Aspinall vs. Boris Krcmar
Schedule of Play
Friday, June 14 (1900 local time)
- First Round x8 matches: Best of 11 legs
Saturday, June 15 (1900 local time)
- Quarter-Finals: Best of 11 legs
- Semi-Finals: Best of 13 legs
- Final: Best of 15 legs
Stay tuned for an exciting weekend of top-tier darts action from Gliwice!
