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World Grand Prix: Rod Harrington names six players to watch in Dublin

Taylor, Anderson and Van Barneveld tipped by Sky Sports expert

Phil Taylor with the World Grand Prix trophy

The World Grand Prix Darts starts this Monday as the world’s top players converge on Dublin for the double-in and double-out tournament. We asked Sky Sports expert Rod Harrington to name the stars he’ll be keeping an eye on as potential winners…

Gary Anderson

Gary Anderson is playing the best darts I’ve ever seen him play and is in the best mood I have ever seen him on stage; he is loving it at the moment. His scoring is as good as it has ever been and he’s hitting double top at the moment – so he has a good chance of having a tilt at this trophy. That would be unbelievable when you consider it’s a double-in, double-out competition and he’s renowned for missing doubles!

He plays Brendan Dolan on the opening night, which will be tough because Brendan always plays well in Dublin. The Irishman likes to slow him down and will have the crowd on his side. Gary doesn’t like a crowd that gets a bit hostile and can get the hump very quickly, but he’s playing too well to slip up. He’s won several tournaments this year and whoever beats him will have to play very well. I expect him to have a very good run.

Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor hits nine-darter at the World Matchplay in Blackpool

Live World Grand Prix Darts

Phil Taylor is obviously one to watch. He didn’t play well in Singapore when he had the hump for several reasons, but by the time we got to Perth he had settled down and relaxed and played brilliantly in both of the tournaments in Australia. The double-in format falls into his lap because he’s so good on doubles.

Some players are great scorers, but are hit by a double whammy here because they’re not so good on doubles. Phil enjoys it for the same reason because he can get in very quickly and get out very quickly. He’s not a bad scorer either and will take some beating.

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He plays Steve Beaton in round one and in double-in you have to give Beaton a chance because he has experience and bottle. He didn’t like me because I did the draw and pulled out Taylor, but he doesn’t care who he plays. He is good at getting in on his doubles and you never know what can happen in a short format.

Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen

The world champion should also do very well. He has been very erratic for the whole of this year, but he is a young man and that’s the way a lot of the quick throwers are. You sometimes see fast players such as Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis going through an entire career like that and that’s why they are so entertaining. You really don’t know who’s going to turn up.

He plays Vincent van der Voort, which will be dangerous because he has won one of the Tour events this year and is playing well. Their opening-round match will be fast and furious, that’s for sure, and Michael will need to watch out – although that’s true for all of the players because the standard is so high nowadays. It’s a nightmare for pundits!

Raymond van Barneveld

Raymond van Barneveld celebrates winning the McCoys Premier League Darts

Live World Grand Prix Darts

Another Dutchman that I suspect may have a good run is Raymond van Barneveld. He lost to Ian White in a European event recently, although it was probably the best game White has ever played. In one leg, both of them started with two 180s and were both on nine-darters!

I know it sounds silly, but the way Barney lost impressed me for a change. He was really trying hard and focused up to the last dart and I hope we see that in this tournament. His rhythm was good, he wasn’t throwing darts away and we all know he has the ability to win this tournament.

He plays Dave Chisnall in the first round, who played the worst game of darts I’ve ever seen him play in the last Euro event. I commentated on it and I couldn’t believe what I was watching. It’s time for him to get serious because he’s taken his eye off the ball and gone off the boil. He is usually a great scorer and a great player, but this will be a tough game. On paper, it’s the pick of the first-round draw and if Chisnall hits his doubles he can beat anybody. However, if it was a horse race you’d have Barney as the odds-on favourite.

James Wade

James Wade

James Wade is certainly a contender. He is playing so much better now and seems to be a lot happier in his own game. I like the fact he always plays the dartboard and not the player. You don’t see him produce many averages over 100, but he is never that far away either.  

He has drawn Andy Smith and those two have played each other a few times in the past. Andy should have beaten him in last year’s World Championship, but couldn’t quite get over the line. I expect Wade to win their match, but the Pie Man is a lovely old fellow. I’d love to take him out for a steak one day to see how much he can really eat – but I’m not sure I would be able to afford it. I wonder if Mr Hearn would let me put that on expenses?

Adrian Lewis

Adrian has been hit-and-miss all season, just as you see with Anderson and Van Gerwen. He is such an exciting player to watch and you want them all to make the later stages because it makes the tournament so much better. It’s good for business when he’s on form, but you just don’t know which Adrian Lewis is going to turn up. Like a lot of the players, they have only played in one competitive event since the World Matchplay so it’s very hard for us – or them – to know their form before they get up there. The guys that have been to Australia may have a competitive advantage.

If you’re looking for a tip then you obviously can’t look past Phil Taylor, but my two outsiders would be Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld.

World Grand Prix Darts starts at 7pm, Monday on Sky Sports 1 HD

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