Lorraine Winstanley will begin her bid for a fifth Swedish Open ladies title – and third in a row – against either Nikki Goldsmith or Heather Lodge tomorrow.
The 2019 Ladies World Championship runner-up first won the title in 2013 and 2014, and has beaten Aileen de Graaf in both the 2017 and 2018 finals.
Eight of the world’s top 10 ladies are in the field this weekend, including world number one Lisa Ashton, a winner in 2016, reigning world champion Mikuru Suzuki, and former champions Trina Gulliver (2012) and Deta Hedman (2010).
Ashton, the top seed, faces either Jane Brandt or Kasumi Sato in the last 64, while de Graaf, a winner in Belgium last weekend opens against Australia’s former world finalist Corrine Hammond.
Third seed Fallon Sherrock faces either Petra Filipikova or Jo Rolls, Hedman takes on Vibeke Solvik, Suzuki goes up against Sue Green, and Gulliver will play Henriette Honoré or Kirsten Byø.
Meanwhile, the Swedish Open men’s event was first held back in 1969 and has been won by many of the sport’s greats, including Eric Bristow, Bob Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld.
England’s Daniel Day defeated Andreas Harrysson 6-4 to win last year’s event, but he his not back to defend his title this weekend.
Ten of the BDO’s top 16, headed by world number one Wesley Harms, are in the field, along with Andy Hamilton, Darryl Fitton, Jeffrey de Graaf, Tony O’Shea and Diogo Portela.
Top seed Harms faces Morten Paulsen or Ben Hazel in the last 128, Richard Veenstra, the second seed, meets either John Scott or Klaus Steiner, and Wayne Warren, the newly-crowned Antwerp Open champion, opens against Jan Erik Rasmussen or Jitse van der Wal.
Fourth seed Dave Parletti will play either Jason Lovett or Sjoerd Pijs, Michael Unterbuchner’s campaign begins against Jan Møller Jespersen or Henrik Olofsson, and Martijn Kleermaker takes on Jonas Nilsson or Christian Johnsson.
Weekly Dartscast 