2019-20 PDC World Darts Championship – Simon Whitlock vs Mervyn King Preview & Prediction

THE FACTS

When is Simon Whitlock vs Mervyn King taking place? Friday 27th December, 2019 – afternoon

Where is Simon Whitlock vs Mervyn King taking place? Alexandra Palace, London

What channel is Simon Whitlock vs Mervyn King on? Sky Sports Darts

Where can I stream Simon Whitlock vs Mervyn King? Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via Sky Go

Where can I get tickets for Simon Whitlock vs Mervyn King? https://www.pdc.tv/william-hill-world-darts-championship-tickets

What was the outcome in the last meeting? Simon Whitlock beat Mervyn King 6-4

THE PLAYERS

SIMON WHITLOCK

• Simon Whitlock is aiming to reach the last 16 for the first time in six years after his straight sets victory against Harry Ward in round two. The Wizard’s average of almost 94 was nine points higher than that of his opponent.
• After losing the opening leg of the match, the Australian number one reeled off a winning streak of eight consecutive legs to go one leg away from victory. Although Ward stopped the run, it only halted Whitlock’s progression temporarily and he sealed the win in the next leg.
• Whitlock has won each of his last five encounters with Mervyn King – the most recent of which was earlier this year in the quarter-finals of the Czech Open at the end of June.

MERVYN KING

• Mervyn King was involved in an epic second round encounter against Irish debutant Ciaran Teehan where he had led by two sets to nil only for Teehan to take the match all the way into extra legs in the fifth and deciding set.
• King’s match against Teehan was the seventh time in his last nine games at Alexandra Palace that he has had to go into a last-set decider.
• A win here would put King into the last 16 for only the second time since the 2008-09 World Championship. He has lost six of his last seven ties in the last 32 at the PDC World Championship, including 12 months ago when he exited the tournament against Brendan Dolan.

THE PREDICTION

Although Whitlock and King are not the consistent players who regularly contended in major tournaments that they were in years gone by, they still have the capabilities to throw in top quality performances. It’s quite possible we could see either a fantastic standard or two players averaging in the 80s. King has performed better in the big tournaments this season than his Australian opponent, with his runs to the quarter-finals in three major tournaments suggesting he is the more reliable performer of the two coming into this match. Good runs at the PDC World Championship have been rare for them both over recent years so it is possible there may be some edginess in their play, but it is King who is predicted to overcome any nerves to take his place in the last 16.