Van Gerwen begins title defence at World Series of Darts Finals against Ilagan

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]Van Gerwen[/a], top seed and winner of a sixth World Series Finals crown last year, returns to the Dutch capital to face two-time PDC Asian Champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ilagan-lourence/6NQofchc/"]Ilagan[/a] in round one.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/littler-luke/0URN6Xks/"]Littler[/a], the 2024 champion, opens his campaign against former UK Open winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noppert-danny/YmMfGEz0/"]Noppert[/a]. World number two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/humphries-luke/n34VOAWo/"]Luke Humphries[/a] faces [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wattimena-jermaine/0hcDtau6/"]Jermaine Wattimena[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-gerwyn/8dDDoW0B/"]Gerwyn Price[/a] begins his bid for a third title against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/klinge-brody/UoZMGUEF/"]Brody Klinge[/a], runner-up at this year's Australian Darts Masters.[/b][/p][p]Dutch number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-veen-gian/jgT1AT29/"]Gian van Veen[/a] meets former Masters champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dobey-chris/dWj1FjDn/"]Chris Dobey[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a] takes on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rock-josh/xKxxNY1P/"]Josh Rock[/a] for a place in round two. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clayton-jonny/tx0y2xRD/"]Jonny Clayton[/a], champion in 2021, plays the Philippines' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toylo-alexis/SCHc0Vr9/"]Alexis Toylo[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wade-james/MRrXjBAB/"]James Wade[/a], a ten-time TV title winner, opens against Australian number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heta-damon/GYfQQCI6/"]Damon Heta[/a].[/p][embed guid="23359cb2-2972-408c-ba0a-a80b8ff79336" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2095091618109915165" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nijman-wessel/xCX137Ee/"]Wessel Nijman[/a] faces [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/whitlock-simon/GI5Dl2XG/"]Simon Whitlock[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doets-kevin/I14LCcyQ/"]Kevin Doets[/a] meets [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-ross/l8mIsYNm/"]Ross Smith[/a] among the other Dutch interest, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cross-rob/zs8lbtNH/"]Rob Cross[/a] plays World Championship semi-finalist [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/searle-ryan/UFF3Eh5C/"]Ryan Searle[/a].[/p][p][b]Round one is split across two nights. Van Gerwen, Humphries and Van Veen headline Thursday's opening session, with Littler, Price and Clayton among those in action on Friday.[/b][/p][p]The remaining 16 players contest round two across two sessions on Saturday, September 19th, with the last eight through to Finals Day on Sunday, September 20th, when the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will be played.[/p][h2]World Series of Darts Finals draw:[/h2][p](1) Michael van Gerwen v Lourence Ilagan[/p][p]Kevin Doets v Ross Smith[/p][p](8) Stephen Bunting v Josh Rock[/p][p]Rob Cross v Ryan Searle[/p][p](4) Luke Humphries v Jermaine Wattimena[/p][p]Viktor Tingstrom v Man Lok Leung[/p][p](5) Gian van Veen v Chris Dobey[/p][p]Karel Sedlacek v Ben Robb[/p][p](2) Gerwyn Price v Brody Klinge[/p][p]Adam Leek v Jim Long[/p][p](7) James Wade v Damon Heta[/p][p]Wessel Nijman v Simon Whitlock[/p][p](3) Luke Littler v Danny Noppert[/p][p]Nathan Aspinall v Raymond Smith[/p][p](6) Jonny Clayton v Alexis Toylo[/p][p]Motomu Sakai v Callan Rydz[/p][p][b]Thursday, September 17th[/b][/p][p]Round One x8[/p][p]Viktor Tingstrom v Man Lok Leung[/p][p]Rob Cross v Ryan Searle[/p][p]Karel Sedlacek v Ben Robb[/p][p]Kevin Doets v Ross Smith[/p][p]Stephen Bunting v Josh Rock[/p][p]Luke Humphries v Jermaine Wattimena[/p][p]Michael van Gerwen v Lourence Ilagan[/p][p]Gian van Veen v Chris Dobey[/p][p][b]Friday, September 18th[/b][/p][p]Round One x8[/p][p]Adam Leek v Jim Long[/p][p]Motomu Sakai v Callan Rydz[/p][p]Wessel Nijman v Simon Whitlock[/p][p]Nathan Aspinall v Raymond Smith[/p][p]James Wade v Damon Heta[/p][p]Gerwyn Price v Brody Klinge[/p][p]Luke Littler v Danny Noppert[/p][p]Jonny Clayton v Alexis Toylo[/p][p][b]Saturday, September 19th[/b][/p][p][b]Afternoon Session[/b][/p][p]Round Two x4[/p][p]Van Gerwen/Ilagan v Doets/Ross Smith[/p][p]Bunting/Rock v Cross/Searle[/p][p]Humphries/Wattimena v Tingstrom/Leung[/p][p]Van Veen/Dobey v Sedlacek/Robb[/p][p][b]Evening Session[/b][/p][p]Round Two x4[/p][p]Price/Klinge v Leek/Long[/p][p]Wade/Heta v Nijman/Whitlock[/p][p]Littler/Noppert v Aspinall/Raymond Smith[/p][p]Clayton/Toylo v Sakai/Rydz[/p][p]Order of play to be confirmed.[/p][p][b]Sunday, September 20th[/b][/p][p][b]Afternoon Session[/b][/p][p]Quarter-Finals[/p][p][b]Evening Session [/b][/p][p]Semi-Finals[/p][p]Final[/p]