Mensur Suljovic is bidding to retain his German Darts Masters title in Cologne this weekend

Mensur Suljovic is bidding to retain his German Darts Masters title in Cologne this weekend, as the third staging of the event gets underway at the Lanxess Arena on Friday evening.

Suljovic triumphed in front of a world record crowd in Gelsenkirchen last year, as 20,000 fans watched him defeat Dimitri Van den Bergh to clinch his second televised PDC title.

The world No 9 opens up the defence of his crown against host-nation qualifier Maik Langendorf and the Austrian is relishing his return to German soil.

"I've enjoyed the German Darts Masters for the last two years and to win it in 2018 was a really special moment for me," said Suljovic. "It was a fantastic tournament and one of the highlights of my career.

"It would be special again this week if I was to win and I know it's very hard because it's the best players in the world. I can't wait to play in front of the huge German crowds again."

However, Suljovic could face world champion Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals, as Van Gerwen kicks off his campaign against Germany's World Cup star Martin Schindler.

Schindler's World Cup partner Max Hopp leads the challenge of the eight home representatives and the former World Youth champion takes on World No 2 Rob Cross for a place in the last eight.

Three-time PDC ranking finalist Gabriel Clemens takes on five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld, who is competing in his final World Series event in Germany ahead of his impending retirement.

Elsewhere, 2017 German Darts Masters champion Peter Wright plays Robert Marijanovic, and reigning World Series of Darts Finals winner James Wade takes on fellow left-hander Kevin Munch, who famously shocked Adrian Lewis at the World Championship back in 2018.

Two-time world champion Gary Anderson faces emerging 22-year-old Nico Kurz, whilst World No 3 Daryl Gurney takes on another youngster in the shape of 24-year-old Christian Bunse, who secured his PDC Tour Card in January.

Following the conclusion of Friday's first round, the World Series of Darts event concludes on Saturday with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all taking place in one bumper session at the Lanxess Arena.

2019 German Darts Masters
Draw Bracket
(1) Peter Wright v Robert Marijanovic
Gary Anderson v Nico Kurz
(4) Daryl Gurney v Christian Bunse
James Wade v Kevin Munch
(2) Michael van Gerwen v Martin Schindler
Mensur Suljovic v Maik Langendorf
(3) Rob Cross v Max Hopp
Raymond van Barneveld v Gabriel Clemens

Schedule of Play
Friday July 12 (2000 start local time)
First Round
James Wade v Kevin Munch
Gary Anderson v Nico Kurz
Daryl Gurney v Christian Bunse
Peter Wright v Robert Marijanovic
Raymond van Barneveld v Gabriel Clemens
Mensur Suljovic v Maik Langendorf
Michael van Gerwen v Martin Schindler
Rob Cross v Max Hopp
All games best of 11 legs

Saturday July 13 (2000 start local time)
Quarter-Finals
Wright/Marijanovic v Anderson/Kurz
Gurney/Bunse v Wade/Munch
Van Gerwen/Schindler v Suljovic/Langendorf
Cross/Hopp v Van Barneveld/Clemens

Semi-Finals
Wright/Marijanovic/Anderson/Kurz v Gurney/Bunse/Wade/Munch
Van Gerwen/Schindler/Suljovic/Langendorf v Cross/Hopp/Van Barneveld/Clemens

Final
TBC vs TBC
All games best of 15 legs