Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will headline the opening night of the 2020 Ladbrokes Masters, with the schedule of play now confirmed.
The opening televised event of the year will take place at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes from January 31 – February 2 with the new-look top 16 following the World Championship in action
Five-time Masters champion Van Gerwen will begin his bid for a sixth successive title against Jonny Clayton on Friday’s opening night, which begins with a meeting between Michael Smith and Mensur Suljovic.
Day One will also see two-time World Championship semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall make his Masters debut against 2014 champion James Wade, while former World Champions Rob Cross and Adrian Lewis collide.
Saturday’s second day of first round action will see Peter Wright announced onto the stage as World Champion for the first time as he begins his bid for a first Masters title against Joe Cullen.
World number three Gerwyn Price faces Simon Whitlock in a repeat of their World Championship meeting, while two-time World Champion Gary Anderson takes on Ian White and Daryl Gurney plays Dave Chisnall.
The winners will advance to Sunday’s final day of action which will see the quarter-finals take place in the afternoon session, before the semi-finals and final in the evening.
The tournament will be broadcast live on ITV4 in the UK, on PDCTV-HD for Rest of the World Subscribers and through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and RTL7.
2020 Ladbrokes Masters
Schedule of Play
Friday January 31 (1900 GMT)
First Round
Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic
Nathan Aspinall v James Wade
Michael van Gerwen v Jonny Clayton
Rob Cross v Adrian Lewis
Saturday February 1 (1900 GMT)
First Round
Daryl Gurney v Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson v Ian White
Peter Wright v Joe Cullen
Gerwyn Price v Simon Whitlock
Sunday February 2
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Cross/Lewis v Smith/Suljovic
Van Gerwen/Clayton v Aspinall/Wade
Price/Whitlock v Anderson/White
Wright/Cullen v Gurney/Chisnall
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Final
Format
First Round – Best of 19 legs
Quarter-Finals – Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals – Best of 21 legs
Final – Best of 21 legs
