Darts World Matchplay 2013: Early Favourites Who Face Difficult Round 1 Tasks

Phil “The Power” Taylor’s rarely contested reign must end.

The Englishman is the proud winner of 13 BetVictor World Matchplay tournaments, and he enters the 2013 competition as the odds-on favourite to capture his sixth PDC World Darts championship at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England.

Taylor represents one of many favourites who have a difficult opening task to maneuver, especially with crowd expectations continuing to galvanise for the PDC top 16 representatives. Which big names face a difficult first encounter during this year’s competition? Let’s break it down.

 Phil Taylor vs. Stuart Kellett

Taylor faces Manchester-born PDC Pro Tour qualifier Stuart Kellett in Round 1 on July 21. The defending champion will be wary of his opponents finishing power against big players and will want revenge for an embarrassing loss earlier in the year.

Kellett overcame the likes of Andy Hamilton and Ronnie Baxter en route to the second 2013 Players Championship Final. He trailed Taylor 4-3 in the semifinal and managed a stunning turnaround to eventually secure a 6-4 win. Although Kellett lost to Michael van Gerwen in the final, he continues to impress as one of the sport’s upcoming stars.

 Raymond van Barneveld vs. Mensur Suljovic

Raymond van Barneveld is under immense pressure from the World Matchplay’s outset. The Dutchman has never triumphed at Winter Gardens—largely due to the continued dominance of Taylor, who overpowered the 46-year-old, 18-12, in the 2010 final.

His Round 1 opponent is a simple hurdle on paper. Mensur Suljovic may be nicknamed “The Gentle” for his kind and humorous nature, but the Austrian has shown competitive form against some of the PDC’s best players in 2013.

The unorthodox slinger reached the European Darts Trophy semifinal in March. While Barney remains the overwhelming favourite, his capacity to miss important throws has plagued the consistency of his recent form.

Van Barneveld's shocking defeat alongside Van Gerwen—at the hands of Finnish pair Jani Haavisto and Jarkko Komula—saw the Dutch exit this year's World Cup of Darts, while six missed darts saw Andy Hamilton beat Barney in the UK open.

Suljovic has nothing to lose; quite often the vital ingredient of success.

 Terry Jenkins vs. Andy Smith

Many of the competitors on the PDC circuit consider themselves good friends. Even so, the relationship between Jenkins and Smith goes deeper than most. The pair have been known to live together during championships and struggle to take each other seriously, until they enter the arena.

Jenkins hasn't had the best year so far. He dropped to world No. 16 after losing 4-1 to Andy Hamilton in the 2013 World Championships. The Bull also suffered a demoralising defeat against Van Gerwen in the UK Open, losing the opening six legs in a tie that ended 9-3.

He faces a chum who will strive to prolong Jenkins' indifferent form. Smith missed a total of 28 darts at doubles during his 2013 World Championships loss to Daryl Gurney. Both players know what to expect, but on the big stage, Smith will strive under a lack of pressure to beat the favourite.