Grand Slam of Darts 2020: Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton in same group after draw
World no 1 Michael van Gerwen to face Joe Cullen, Gabriel Clemens and Adam Hunt as he chases first TV title since March - coverage of the Grand Slam of Darts begins on Monday with a bumper double session of action from 1pm on Sky Sports Arena
Sunday 15 November 2020 21:12, UK
Gerwyn Price will face his World Cup-winning team-mate Jonny Clayton in Group G as he kicks off his bid for a third successive Grand Slam of Darts title.
Joining the Welsh pairing in the group are Ryan Joyce and women's BDO world champion Mikuru Suzuki, who Price defeated on his way to claiming his second Grand Slam crown last year.
The Iceman is aiming to become just the third person to lift the prestigious Eric Bristow Trophy for a third successive year - a win in Coventry, where he claimed the World Grand Prix just a few weeks ago, would see him join Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor.
Live Grand Slam of Darts
A loaded field for the latest televised major of the year will lock horns over four days of group action with the top two from the eight groups making their way through to the last 16 where the knockout stages begin.
For the first time in the tournament's history the event has moved away from Wolverhampton and will take place behind closed doors at Coventry's Ricoh Arena, while instead of the usual eight BDO representatives there will be just two from darts' other governing body.
Joining Suzuki is the men's world champion Wayne Warren who has been handed a spot in Group H alongside Premier League runner-up Nathan Aspinall, World Matchplay champion Dimitri Van den Bergh and 'Rapid' Ricky Evans.
Van Gerwen is in Group A as he looks to return to winning ways. The Dutchman won this event in 2015, 2016 and 2017 but has been beaten in the semi-final for each of the last two years and is without a televised title since lifting the UK Open in March.
MVG returned to action for the final two days of the Winter Series but was beaten in the last 64 and the last 32 after recovering from the back injury that hampered him at the World Cup of Darts. He will face Joe Cullen, a winner on Saturday and a man who beat him to win the International Darts Open last month as well as Gabriel Clemens and Adam Hunt.
Four-time women's world champion Lisa Ashton, playing for the second year in succession, has been drawn into the toughest looking group with world no 4 Michael Smith and the dangerous, rapidly emerging pair of Krzysztof Ratajski and Jose De Sousa.
Other highlights include world champion Peter Wright being drawn into Group E with Ian White, Devon Petersen and World Grand Prix runner-up Dirk van Duijvenbode, while Premier League champion Glen Durrant is in Group F with two-time runner-up James Wade, Jermaine Wattimena and Damon Heta.
Grand Slam of Darts Group Stage Draw
Group A
Michael van Gerwen
Joe Cullen
Gabriel Clemens
Adam Hunt
Group B
Gary Anderson
Simon Whitlock
Ryan Searle
Adam Gawlas
Group C
Michael Smith
Krzysztof Ratajski
Jose De Sousa
Lisa Ashton
Group D
Rob Cross
Dave Chisnall
Luke Humphries
Justin Pipe
Group E
Peter Wright
Ian White
Devon Petersen
Dirk van Duijvenbode
Group F
James Wade
Glen Durrant
Jermaine Wattimena
Damon Heta
Group G
Gerwyn Price
Jonny Clayton
Ryan Joyce
Mikuru Suzuki
Group H
Nathan Aspinall
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ricky Evans
Wayne Warren
Non-stop darts as truncated season comes to a close
Over the next four weeks, a relentless schedule will round-off the PDC season and finalise the field for this year's World Championships which remain scheduled for Alexandra Palace in mid-December.
It's the Grand Slam of Darts on Sky Sports with all nine days from Coventry getting underway on Monday, November 16 and following that, the tungsten stays at the Ricoh Arena with three days of Players Championship Finals action and the final qualifier for the World Championship.
Listen to the Darts Show podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox
Sky Sports Darts will keep you across all the action as the season reaches its climax. As well as all the action, The Darts Show podcast will catch up with all the players, discuss the talking points and get expert opinion from former world No 1 Colin Lloyd.
Follow the action from the Grand Slam with all nine days covered on Sky Sports Arena - and if you are out and about follow updates via our live blogs and @SkySportsDarts.
