The Stats Zone
December 18 2024, 10:49 · Trystan Pugh

Ricky Evans vs Gordon Mathers Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 PDC World Darts Championship | First Round

Ricky Evans vs Gordon Mathers Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 PDC World Darts Championship | First Round

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Rapid Ricky has struggled in the latter half of 2024 but in Gordon Mathers he faces an opponent who has never won a match in the PDC World Darts Championship.

Start date/time: Wednesday 18th December, 2024, UK – not before 9:15pm / US ET – not before 4:15pm / US PT – not before 1:15pm

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – DAZN

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – DAZN

Ricky Evans vs Gordon Mathers Prediction

2024 has been a tale of two halves for Ricky Evans, who achieved his best ever run in a televised major by reaching the semi-finals of the UK Open in March, while he was also a Players Championship finalists in May.

His results since then do not make for good reading though, with ‘Rapid Ricky’ bowing out in the first round in nearly every event he has entered since that runner-up finish at Players Championship 16.

Fortunately for Evans though, he faces an opponent who has largely struggled on the World Championship stage, with this being Mathers’ fourth appearance at Alexandra Palace, and first since the 2021-22 event. The Australian, who has lost at the first hurdle in his previous three appearances, sealed his return by winning the DPA Oceanic Masters in October.

It’s fair to say that fireworks are not expected in this contest, with Evans currently well out of form and Mathers generally outclassed each time he has featured previously. Rapid Ricky does tend to raise his game at Ally Pally though, and has reached the third round in three of his last five appearances. The Englishman should therefore prevail, but he is unlikely to run away with it.

Ricky Evans vs Gordon Mathers Tip: Over 3.5 sets