The 2021 Ladbrokes UK Open was a darts tournament staged by the Professional Darts Corporation. It was the nineteenth year of the tournament where players compete in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion. The tournament was held for the first time at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England, between 5–7 March 2021, and was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
Michael van Gerwen was the defending champion after defeating Gerwyn Price 11–9 in the 2020 final.[2] However, he lost 11–5 to Luke Humphries in the semi-finals.
Lisa Ashton became the first woman to win a match at the UK Open since 2005, defeating Aaron Beeney 6–2 in Round 2, and also set a new world record for the highest televised average by a female player, with an average of 100.34.[3] Sebastian Białecki, the first player born after the inaugural event in 2003 to play in the UK Open,[4] hit a nine-dart finish in his opening round victory over Jim McEwan. Jitse van der Wal then hit a nine-dart finish against Białecki in the second round.[3]
James Wade won his third UK Open title, and his first since 2011, with an 11–5 victory over Luke Humphries in the final.
Prize money
The prize fund remained at £450,000. With the withdrawal of seven tour card players the field is reduced to 153 players.
Stage (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £450,000) | |
---|---|---|
Winner | (1) | £100,000 |
Runner-up | (1) | £40,000 |
Semi-finalists | (2) | £20,000 |
Quarter-finalists | (4) | £12,500 |
Last 16 (sixth round) | (8) | £7,500 |
Last 32 (fifth round) | (16) | £4,000 |
Last 64 (fourth round) | (32) | £2,000 |
Last 95 (third round) | (31) | £1,000 |
Last 127 (second round) | (32) | £0 |
Last 153 (first round) | (25) | £0 |
Format
There is a slight change in format for this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no Rileys amateur qualifiers could be held. In 2021, the top eight of both the UK and European Qualifying School Order of Merits who have not yet qualified for the tournament filled those 16 spots.[5]
The 153 participants will enter the competition incrementally, with 50 players entering in the first round, with match winners joining the 32 players entering in the second and third rounds to leave the last 64 in the fourth round.
- No players are seeded.
- A random draw is held for each of the following rounds following the conclusion of the third round.
- All matches in the first, second and third rounds will be played over best of 11 legs.
- All matches in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds and quarter-finals will be played over best of 19 legs.
- All matches in the semi-finals and final will be played over best of 21 legs.
- Eight boards will be used for matches in the first, second, third and fourth rounds.
- Four boards will be used for matches in the fifth round.
- Two boards will be used for matches in the sixth round.
- One board will be used for all the matches in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Qualifiers
Boris Krčmar, Daniel Larsson, Darren Penhall, Wesley Harms, Michael Unterbuchner and Robert Marijanović withdrew before the draw was made.
Cristo Reyes and Florian Hempel withdrew after the draw took place, so their opponents Jitse van der Wal (in round 1) and Ryan Joyce (in round 3) both got byes to their next respective rounds.[6] Justin Pipe tested positive for COVID-19, meaning Luke Humphries received a bye to round 4.[7]
Number 1–32 of the PDC Order of Merit (receiving byes into fourth round)
Gerwyn Price
Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright
Rob Cross
James Wade
Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall
Michael Smith
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Nathan Aspinall
Daryl Gurney
Ian White
Glen Durrant
Krzysztof Ratajski
José de Sousa
Joe Cullen
Stephen Bunting
Jonny Clayton
Simon Whitlock
Mensur Suljović
Mervyn King
Danny Noppert
Jeffrey de Zwaan
Adrian Lewis
Chris Dobey
Vincent van der Voort
Jermaine Wattimena
Jamie Hughes
Gabriel Clemens
Dirk van Duijvenbode
Ricky Evans
Devon Petersen
Number 33–64 of the PDC Order of Merit (receiving byes into third round)
Steve Beaton
Brendan Dolan
William O'Connor
Keegan Brown
Ryan Searle
Kim Huybrechts
Max Hopp
Darius Labanauskas
Luke Humphries
John Henderson
Ross Smith
Ryan Joyce
Darren Webster
Steve West
(withdrew)Justin Pipe
Damon Heta
Luke Woodhouse
Ron Meulenkamp
Steve Lennon
Andy Boulton
Madars Razma
Jelle Klaasen
Mickey Mansell
Adam Hunt
Callan Rydz
Matthew Edgar
Ted Evetts
Josh Payne
Jason Lowe
James Wilson
Mark McGeeney
(withdrew)Cristo Reyes
Number 65–96 of the PDC Order of Merit (receiving byes into second round)
Maik Kuivenhoven
Jeff Smith
Scott Waites
Ryan Murray
Martijn Kleermaker
Wayne Jones
Karel Sedláček
Derk Telnekes
Nick Kenny
Andy Hamilton
Mike De Decker
Ryan Meikle
Lisa Ashton
Bradley Brooks
William Borland
Ciarán Teehan
Alan Tabern
Kai Fan Leung
Jesús Noguera
Raymond van Barneveld
Krzysztof Kciuk
Steve Brown
Peter Jacques
Martin Atkins
Steffen Siepmann
Gary Blades
Alan Soutar
Harald Leitinger
Eddie Lovely
Keane Barry
Jonathan Worsley
Aaron Beeney
Number 97–128 of the PDC Order of Merit (starting in first round)
John Brown
Gordon Mathers
John Michael
Jake Jones
Kirk Shepherd
Martin Schindler
Lewy Williams
Jack Main
Berry van Peer
Scott Mitchell
Ritchie Edhouse
Geert Nentjes
Geert De Vos
Martin Lukeman
Danny Baggish
Joe Murnan
Peter Hudson
Zoran Lerchbacher
Adam Gawlas
Boris Koltsov
Brett Claydon
Andrew Gilding
David Evans
Jason Heaver
(withdrew)Florian Hempel
Niels Zonneveld
PDC Development Tour qualifiers (starting in first round)
The top 8 ranked players from the 2020 Development Tour Order of Merit who didn't have a Tour Card for the 2021 season qualified for the first round.
Damian Mol
Kevin Doets
Dom Taylor
Joe Davis
Keelan Kay
Brian Raman
Rhys Griffin
Sebastian Białecki
PDC Challenge Tour qualifiers (starting in first round)
The top 8 ranked players from the 2020 Challenge Tour Order of Merit who didn't have a Tour Card for the 2021 season qualified for the first round.
Matthew Dennant
Jim Williams
Rob Collins
Maikel Verberk
Jitse Van der Wal
Nathan Rafferty
Richie Burnett
Scott Taylor
PDC UK Qualifying School qualifiers (starting in first round)
The top 8 ranked players from the 2021 UK Qualifying School Order of Merit who didn't have a Tour Card for the 2021 season qualified for the first round.
Chas Barstow
Gavin Carlin
Martin Thomas
Kevin McDine
Jim McEwan
Shane McGuirk
Matt Jackson
Sean Fisher
PDC European Qualifying School qualifiers (starting in first round)
The top 8 ranked players from the 2021 European Qualifying School Order of Merit who didn't have a Tour Card for the 2021 season qualified for the first round.
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Luc Peters
Rowby-John Rodriguez
Lorenzo Pronk
Gino Vos
Michael Rasztovits
Ryan de Vreede
Lukas Wenig
Draw
Friday 5 March
First round (best of eleven legs)
With the withdrawal of the six Tour Card holders, six players received a bye to the second round.
Player | Score | Player | Player | Score | Player | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rob Collins ![]() |
w/o | Bye | David Evans ![]() |
w/o | Bye | |
Andrew Gilding ![]() |
w/o | Bye | Michael Rasztovits ![]() |
w/o | Bye | |
Martin Thomas ![]() |
w/o | Bye | Scott Mitchell ![]() |
w/o | Bye | |
89.44 Rhys Griffin ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() |
84.19 Matt Jackson ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() | |
81.12 Brett Claydon ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() |
81.55 Keelan Kay ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() | |
89.02 Boris Koltsov ![]() |
6 – 1 | ![]() |
98.44 Rowby-John Rodriguez ![]() |
6 – 4 | ![]() | |
88.19 Berry van Peer ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() |
Jitse Van der Wal ![]() |
w/o | ![]() | |
85.86 Geert De Vos ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() |
88.18 Martin Lukeman ![]() |
4 – 6 | ![]() | |
95.20 Scott Taylor ![]() |
6 – 4 | ![]() |
92.09 Shane McGuirk ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() | |
92.91 Jason Heaver ![]() |
6 – 2 | ![]() |
86.05 Luc Peters ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() | |
90.40 Jim McEwan ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() |
89.91 Chas Barstow ![]() |
6 – 4 | ![]() | |
85.59 Joe Murnan ![]() |
6 – 2 | ![]() |
85.39 Joe Davis ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() | |
87.84 Adam Gawlas ![]() |
4 – 6 | ![]() |
92.19 Geert Nentjes ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() | |
97.99 John Brown ![]() |
6 – 4 | ![]() |
77.53 Jake Jones ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() | |
96.50 Zoran Lerchbacher ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() |
95.08 Gordon Mathers ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() | |
96.70 Peter Hudson ![]() |
6 – 1 | ![]() |
90.27 Ritchie Edhouse ![]() |
4 – 6 | ![]() |
Second round (best of eleven legs)
Player | Score | Player | Player | Score | Player | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scott Waites ![]() |
w/o | ![]() |
87.43 Scott Taylor ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() | |
94.69 Nick Kenny ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() |
94.00 Ciarán Teehan ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() | |
93.91 Lewy Williams ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() |
81.97 Keane Barry ![]() |
6 – 1 | ![]() | |
80.96 Maik Kuivenhoven ![]() |
6 – 4 | ![]() |
77.40 Kevin McDine ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() | |
87.99 Joe Murnan ![]() |
3 – 6 | ![]() |
86.04 Andy Hamilton ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() | |
93.60 Alan Soutar ![]() |
6 – 3 | ![]() |
85.57 Jack Main ![]() |
6 – 4 | ![]() | |
93.05 Sebastian Białecki ![]() |
6 – 3 | ![]() |
89.66 Chas Barstow ![]() |
6 – 1 | ![]() | |
92.38 Michael Rasztovits ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() |
97.65 William Borland ![]() |
4 – 6 | ![]() | |
86.71 Aaron Beeney ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() |
96.05 Martin Atkins ![]() |
6 – 3 | ![]() | |
84.48 Jason Heaver ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() |
81.58 Niels Zonneveld ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() | |
92.19 Jonathan Worsley ![]() |
1 – 6 | ![]() |
82.43 Martijn Kleermaker ![]() |
6 – 3 | ![]() | |
92.35 Peter Hudson ![]() |
6 – 1 | ![]() |
101.79 Jim Williams ![]() |
6 – 1 | ![]() | |
80.40 John Brown ![]() |
6 – 5 | ![]() |
70.59 Dom Taylor ![]() |
0 – 6 | ![]() | |
85.38 Steffen Siepmann ![]() |
4 – 6 | ![]() |
88.35 Mike De Decker ![]() |
4 – 6 | ![]() | |
93.55 Alan Tabern ![]() |
5 – 6 | ![]() |
92.87 Ryan Murray ![]() |
2 – 6 | ![]() | |
88.19 Jeff Smith ![]() |
1 – 6 | ![]() |
72.00 Harald Leitinger ![]() |
0 – 6 | ![]() |
Third round (best of eleven legs)
Fourth round (best of nineteen legs)
Saturday 6 March
Fifth round (best of nineteen legs)
Player | Score | Player | Player | Score | Player | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
91.16 Scott Waites ![]() |
5 – 10 | ![]() |
95.07 Darius Labanauskas ![]() |
9 – 10 | ![]() | |
101.75 Rob Cross ![]() |
7 – 10 | ![]() |
101.68 Luke Humphries ![]() |
10 – 7 | ![]() | |
98.66 Gerwyn Price ![]() |
10 – 3 | ![]() |
90.30 Michael Smith ![]() |
9 – 10 | ![]() | |
86.65 Callan Rydz ![]() |
6 – 10 | ![]() |
92.33 Alan Soutar ![]() |
10 – 7 | ![]() | |
99.31 Chris Dobey ![]() |
10 – 1 | ![]() |
90.09 Luke Woodhouse ![]() |
6 – 10 | ![]() | |
93.49 Peter Jacques ![]() |
10 – 9 | ![]() |
104.37 Dave Chisnall ![]() |
10 – 7 | ![]() | |
103.78 Michael van Gerwen ![]() |
10 – 4 | ![]() |
93.06 Daryl Gurney ![]() |
7 – 10 | ![]() | |
108.39 Jonny Clayton ![]() |
10 – 3 | ![]() |
100.55 Krzysztof Ratajski ![]() |
10 – 8 | ![]() |
Sixth round (best of nineteen legs)
Player | Score | Player | Player | Score | Player | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
97.42 José de Sousa ![]() |
9 – 10 | ![]() |
90.11 Devon Petersen ![]() |
10 – 4 | ![]() | |
89.36 Gabriel Clemens ![]() |
5 – 10 | ![]() |
93.53 Luke Humphries ![]() |
10 – 4 | ![]() | |
94.04 Brendan Dolan ![]() |
9 – 10 | ![]() |
101.31 Chris Dobey ![]() |
5 – 10 | ![]() | |
103.52 Krzysztof Ratajski ![]() |
10 – 3 | ![]() |
99.52 Dave Chisnall ![]() |
10 – 8 | ![]() |
Sunday 7 March
Quarter-finals (best of nineteen legs)
Player | Score | Player |
---|---|---|
96.70 Simon Whitlock ![]() |
8 – 10 | ![]() |
100.71 Gerwyn Price ![]() |
10 – 9 | ![]() |
96.07 Dave Chisnall ![]() |
9 – 10 | ![]() |
104.14 Krzysztof Ratajski ![]() |
7 – 10 | ![]() |
Semi-finals and Final
Semi-finals (best of 21 legs) | Final (best of 21 legs) | ||||||||
![]() | 11 | ||||||||
![]() | 6 | ||||||||
![]() | 11 | ||||||||
![]() | 5 | ||||||||
![]() | 11 | ||||||||
![]() | 5 |
References
- ^ "The UK Open to move to the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes this March". Sky Sports. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ "Ladbrokes UK Open glory for nine-dart Van Gerwen". PDC. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ a b Phillips, Josh. "Ladbrokes UK Open Day One". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Allen, Dave. "Ever-present trio joined as history-makers by teenager". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "2021 Ladbrokes UK Open to be played in Milton Keynes". PDC. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ "2021 Ladbrokes UK Open Preview". PDC. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- ^ "Pipe to miss Ladbrokes UK Open after positive Covid test". PDC. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.