Sunday's William Hill PDC World Darts Championship match previews & free tips

Darts tips, best bets and predictions for Sunday's matches at the William Hill PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Arena, 12.30pm & 7pm Sunday

Best bets

Brendan Dolan to beat Nitin Kumar 3-0
2pts 5-6 Betway, Coral, Ladbrokes
Back this tip with Coral
Over 4.5 sets in Monk v Justicia
1pt 7-4 Sky Bet
Back this tip with Paddy Power
Ian White to beat Darius Labanauskas 3-1
1pt 9-4 general
Back this tip with Coral
Andy Boulton to beat Daniel Baggish
1pt 5-7 RedZone
Back this tip with William Hill

Preview

Michael van Gerwen was trimmed by some bookmakers to win his fourth world title after coming through his opening contest against Jelle Klaasen on Friday night. There's another title contender in action on Sunday's card as 2019 runner-up Michael Smith begins his campaign. Bully Boy is the 22-1 fifth favourite this year.

Kyle Anderson v Xiaochen Zong
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

Out-of-form Aussie Kyle Anderson is exactly the kind of player punters should be looking to oppose in the early rounds at Alexandra Palace - but it's hard to make any kind of case for outsider Ziaochen Zong to upset him.

The Chinese youngster, nicknamed the Pandaman, has been learning his craft at development tour level in England for the last couple of seasons but looks way out of his depth.

It's six years since Anderson threw a nine-darter in the World Championship but he reached the third round last year, losing to Nathan Aspinall.

He showed nothing of note in recent spins at the World Series and Grand Slam but it may take a better player than Zong to upset him.

Ross Smith v Ciaran Teehan
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

Ten years of extra experience should give the edge to England's Ross Smith when he takes on promising Irish youngster Ciaran Teehan.

Smith, 30, is heading in the right direction again after a couple of lean years and there was no disgrace in his defeat to Daryl Gurney in the third round last season.

The highlight of Smith's season was a win over Michael van Gerwen at the European Championship last month and he also played well to qualify for the Grand Slam (where MvG got his revenge).

Teehan got to a finalon the development tour this month and should benefit greatly from the experience but this is likely to prove too tough for him.

Brendan Dolan v Nitin Kumar
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

Brendan Dolan losing to India's Nitin Kumar would be the biggest upset on the card but it looks highly unlikely.

The experienced Irishman made the quarter-finals last year, beating Joe Cullen, Mervyn King and Benito van de Pas before going out to Nathan Aspinall.

He had gone out in the first or second round in the previous ten years but looks worth backing to sweep through without losing a set in his opener this year.

Kumar, from New Delhi, averaged only 77.75 in a 3-0 defeat to Jeffrey de Zwaan in London last year and the same scoreline awaits him.

Ian White v Darius Labanauskas
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

Ninth seed Ian White is a short-priced favourite against Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas, but there may be a few nerves as the Stokie opens his camapign after going out in this round for the last two years.

White's World Championship performances have never reflected his talent and a quarter-final in 2014 is his best effort.

His opponent is fully tuned-up after cruising to a 3-0 win over Matt Edgar on Saturday, averaging 94.7 with three 180s. Labanauskas looks worth backing to get a set on the board.

It's hard to disagree with the bookmakers' verdict that this should be the most competitive heat on Sunday's schedule.

Arron Monk v Jose Perales Justicia
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

It's hard to disagree with the bookmakers' verdict that this should be the most competitive heat on Sunday's schedule.

Monk, now 29, is making is first appearance at the worlds since 2014 and while he has been solid on the circuit this season, his Spanish opponent should not be written off.

It may be worth backing their match to go the distance.

Andy Boulton v Daniel Baggish
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

Veteran Andy Boulton looks a solid selection against American hopeful Danny Baggish.

A win in the Witch City Open in September is the only highlight on Baggish's recent record and he's unlikely to be able to cast a spell on the man from Stoke.

James Richardson v Mikuru Suzuki
Head-to-head: no previous meetings

One of the more interesting fixtures pits women's world champion Mikuru Suzuki against Northamptonshire's James Richardson, who will be aiming to put chivalry to one side and live up to his Ruthless nickname.

Suzuki was superb at the Grand Slam of Darts, getting Gerwyn Price rattled in a 5-3 defeat and also getting legs on the scoreboard against Dimitri van den Bergh and Robert Thornton.

Richardson, who made the last 16 in 2018, should prevail but Suzuki is likely to put up a good show.

Michael Smith v Luke Woodhouse
Head-to-head: level at 1-1

The last thing Michael Smith would have wanted his first opponent to obtain shortly before their Alexandra Palace meeting is a taste for giant-killing, but that's exactly the skill Luke Woodhouse acquired at the recent Players Championship Finals.

Woody has a relatively undistinguished tour record, but he pulled a cracking result out of the bag to beat Daryl Gurney 6-5 three weeks ago, and looked in great nick in Saturday's pipe-opening 3-0 win over veteran Paul Lim.

Bully Boy has a great chance to get to at least the quarter-finals again, even though his 2019 form has been patchy. He looks to be finding his game at the right time and should pass this test at least.

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport