Japan Darts Masters: World’s top stars battle local heroes

In what will be the last televised (in UK) PDC darts tournament before this summer’s main singles event the World Matchplay in Blackpool, the sport’s top players take their place on the Japan Masters oche.

This will be the eighth competition since the inception of the World Series of Darts tour that started in 2013, and the second of the year.

It will the first time held in Japan, meanwhile, so it will give eight home talents the chance to battle it out with the best in the business in Yokohama.

Star Japanese duo Haruki Muramatsu and Morihiro Hashimoto, who reached the second round of the World Cup of Darts last month, before going out to England will be their nation’s main hopes of progression. Although their respective title odds of 200/1 and 250/1 with Coral suggest they won’t go very far.

In the first round, which will take place on Saturday in best of 11 legs fixtures, two-time World Championship qualifier Hashimoto, nicknamed The Ogre, goes up first against former Premier League winner James Wade (18/1 tournament shout).

Four-time World Championship qualifier Muramatsu, meanwhile, is up against World Cup runner-up with Scotland Peter Wright (also 18/1), who also reached the final of the 2014 Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters.

Of the seven World Series of Darts tournaments to date, only all-time great Phil Taylor and world number one Michael van Gerwen have won the events, but The Power is seemingly up against it to equal Mighty Mike’s four titles.