The draw has been confirmed for the PDC World Youth Championship, which begins shortly at Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan. Luke Littler headlines the field and is playing a surprise role today given that he has seemingly given up trying to qualify for the Players Championship Finals in Minehead. Littler currently is not penciled to play again until the European Championship in Dortmund at the end of the month, so he will no doubt try to get some matches in.
This is after he lost early at the World Grand Prix to Luke Woodhouse, and ironically, despite him not deciding to try to qualify further for Minehead, he either will do in the end or is going just to play in the final if he makes it that far. The way the tournament works on Monday is that as is dictated in the draw, it is a round-robin format. Littler will play Luuk de Waal, Matthias Moors, and Damien Moore. The top two move into the Last 64. Littler will have to reach the semi-finals today to make it to Minehead and then win through to the final, which will be played on November 29.
Gian van Veen is the big miss today; he was in his final year of eligibility. He could've made it three titles in a row. Beau Greaves, who starred last year too, is not playing. This leaves Sebastian Bialecki, Keane Barry, and the rest of the Development Tour standouts, such as Jurgen van der Velde, Jack Drayton, and Owen Bates, among others, to fight it out today. As well as Kaya Baysal, who has just started playing Development Tour but has emerged as a serious one to watch.
The draw for the Last 128 is as follows:
Group AA: Luke Littler v. Luuk De Waal; Matthias Moors v Damien Moore; Luke Littler v Damien Moore; Luuk De Waal v. Matthias Moors; Luke Littler v Matthias Moors; Damien Moore v. Luuk De Waal.
Group AB: David Fidler v. Kyle Gilding; Zacarno King v. Nathan Girvan; David Fidler v. Nathan Girvan; Kyle Gilding v Zacarno King; David Fidler v. Zacarno King; Nathan Girvan v Kyle Gilding.
Group AC: Finn Behrens v. Xanti Van den Bergh; Sean McKeon v. Jack Pollard; Finn Behrens v Jack Pollard; Xanti Van den Bergh v. Sean McKeon; Finn Behrens v Sean McKeon; Jack Pollard v. Xanti Van den Bergh.
Group AD: Archie Self v Luca Wolff; Owen Roelofs v Ryan Branley; Archie Self v Ryan Branley; Luca Wolff v Owen Roelofs; Archie Self v Owen Roelofs; Ryan Branley v. Luca Wolff.
Group AE: Tavis Dudeney v. Hiroyuki Tanaka; Keenan Thomas v. Benjamin Goddard; Tavis Dudeney v. Benjamin Goddard; Hiroyuki Tanaka v. Keenan Thomas; Tavis Dudeney v. Keenan Thomas; Benjamin Goddard v. Hiroyuki Tanaka.
Group AF: James Beeton v. Joseph Brady; Jason Britz v Shane de Jong; James Beeton v Shane de Jong; Joseph Brady v. Jason Britz; James Beeton v Jason Britz; Shane de Jong v. Joseph Brady.
Group AG: Henry Coates v. Connor Hopkins; Sebastian Caris v Wessel Tempelaars; Henry Coates v Wessel Tempelaars; Connor Hopkins v Sebastian Caris; Henry Coates v. Sebastian Caris; Wessel Tempelaars v Connor Hopkins.
Group AH: Jack Drayton v Mark Tabak; Ieuan Halsall v. Barry Watson; Jack Drayton v Barry Watson; Mark Tabak v. Ieuan Halsall; Jack Drayton v. Ieuan Halsall; Barry Watson v Mark Tabak.
Group AI: Cam Crabtree v Almos Kovacs; Kai Clark v Lleyton Molyneux; Cam Crabtree v. Lleyton Molyneux; Almos Kovacs v Kai Clark; Cam Crabtree v Kai Clark; Lleyton Molyneux v Almos Kovacs.
Group AJ: Angelo Balsamo vs. Jack Gillett; Ben Townley v Charlie Stocks; Angelo Balsamo vs. Charlie Stocks; Jack Gillett v. Ben Townley; Angelo Balsamo vs. Ben Townley; Charlie Stocks v Jack Gillett.
Group AK: Tyler Thorpe v Nathan Care; Bailey Marsh v. Dean Fitch Jr.; Tyler Thorpe v. Dean Fitch Jr.; Nathan Care v Bailey Marsh; Tyler Thorpe v Bailey Marsh; Dean Fitch Jnr. v. Nathan Care.
Group AL: Peter Kelemen v. Kilian Hohnstedt; Merlin Nicolaus v. Killian Heffernan; Peter Kelemen v. Killian Heffernan; Kilian Hohnstedt v. Merlin Nicolaus; Peter Kelemen v. Merlin Nicolaus; Killian Heffernan v Kilian Hohnstedt.
Group AM: Dominik Gruellich v Matyas Rejhon; Thomas Banks v. Mason Whitlock; Dominik Gruellich v Mason Whitlock; Matyas Rejhon v Thomas Banks; Dominik Gruellich vs. Thomas Banks; Mason Whitlock v Matyas Rejhon.
Group AN: Sam Jackson v. Cayden Smith; Ansh Sood v. Connor Arberry; Sam Jackson v. Connor Arberry; Cayden Smith v Ansh Sood; Sam Jackson v Ansh Sood; Connor Arberry v Cayden Smith.
Group AO: Jurgen van der Velde v. Mylo Michiels; Mason Teese v. Hunter Eyles; Jurgen van der Velde v Hunter Eyles; Mylo Michiels v Mason Teese; Jurgen van der Velde v Mason Teese; Hunter Eyles v. Mylo Michiels.
Group AP: Liam Maendl-Lawrance v. Damien Decla; Hayden Moodley v Craig Galliano; Liam Maendl-Lawrance v. Craig Galliano; Damien Decla v Hayden Moodley; Liam Maendl-Lawrance v Hayden Moodley; Craig Galliano v Damien Decla.
Group AQ: Sebastian Bialecki vs. Kimi Seemann; Dylan Quinn v Damian Vetjens; Sebastian Bialecki v Damian Vetjens; Kimi Seemann v Dylan Quinn; Sebastian Bialecki v Dylan Quinn; Damian Vetjens v Kimi Seemann.
Group AR: Nunjo Dewaele v Jenson Walker; Liam McNeil v Lewis Cook; Nunjo Dewaele v. Lewis Cook; Jenson Walker v Liam McNeil; Nunjo Dewaele v Liam McNeil; Lewis Cook v Jenson Walker.
Group AS: Jan Schmidt v Keanu van Velzen; Kyle Manton v Connor Mitchell; Jan Schmidt v. Connor Mitchell; Keanu van Velzen v Kyle Manton; Jan Schmidt v. Kyle Manton; Connor Mitchell v Keanu van Velzen.
Group AT: Martin Homola v. Duyane Wade Decena; Daniel Kortbek v. Jj Wright; Martin Homola v. Jj Wright; Duyane Wade vs. Daniel Kortbek; Martin Homola v Daniel Kortbek; Jj Wright v. Duyane Wade Decena.
Group AU: Leon Weber v. Jenson Remory; Ky Smith v. Alexander-Veigar Thorvaldsson; Leon Weber v Alexander-Veigar Thorvaldsson; Jenson Remory v. Ky Smith; Leon Weber v. Ky. Smith; Alexander-Veigar Thorvaldsson v. Jenson Remory.
Group AV: Dylan Slevin vs. Mika Donnevert; Daan Beernink v Cole Davey; Dylan Slevin v. Cole Davey; Mika Donnevert vs. Daan Beernink; Dylan Slevin v. Daan Beernink; Cole Davey v Mika Donnevert.
Group AW: Adam Gawlas v. James Buckby; Harrison Leigh v. Eleanor Cairns; Adam Gawlas v. Eleanor Cairns; James Buckley v. Harrison Leigh; Adam Gawlas v. Harrison Leigh; Eleanor Cairns v James Buckby.
Group AX: Jamai van den Herik v Jayden Wedemeyer; Cody Crabtree v Jack Howarth; Jamai van den Herik v. Jack Howarth; Jayden Wedemeyer v Cody Crabtree; Jamai van den Herik v Cody Crabtree; Jack Howarth v Jayden Wedemeyer.
Group AY: Keane Barry v Mitchell Leeming; Lewis Mayes v. Conner Olson; Keane Barry v. Conner Olson; Mitchell Leeming v. Lewis Mayes; Keane Barry v. Lewis Mayes; Conner Olson v. Mitchell Leeming.
Group AZ: Lenny Schlueter v. Zhijun Cui; Nigel Coudeville v Ashton Brown; Lenny Schlueter v. Ashton Brown; Zhijun Cui v Nigel Coudeville; Lenny Schlueter v Nigel Coudeville; Ashton Brown v Zhijun Cui.
Group BA: Nathan Potter v Jiacheng Song; Finley Pember v. Joseph Simpson; Nathan Potter v Joseph Simpson; Jiacheng Song vs. Finley Pember; Nathan Potter v Finley Pember; Joseph Simpson v. Jiacheng Song.
Group BB: Mio Varila v Jack Boardman; Kyana Frauenfelder v Arthur Allston; Mio Varila v Arthur Allston; Jack Boardman v Kyana Frauenfelder; Mio Varila v Kyana Frauenfelder; Arthur Allston v Jack Boardman.
Group BC: Charlie Manby v Bram van Dijk; Justin Atellinghusen v Kieran Tynan; Charlie Manby v Kieran Tynan; Bram van Dijk v Justin Atellinghusen; Charlie Manby v. Justin Atellinghusen; Kieran Tynan v Bram van Dijk.
Group BD: Kaya Baysal v. Jarod Becker; Jack Anthony Sheppard v. Daan Bastiaansen; Kaya Baysal v. Daan Bastiaansen; Jarod Becker v. Jack Anthony Sheppard; Kaya Baysal v. Jack Anthony Sheppard; Daan Bastiaansen vs. Jarod Becker.
Group BE: Owen Bates v Ciaran Forde; Oliver Pearce-Burgess v. Lewy Williams; Owen Bates v. Lewy Williams; Ciaran Forde v Oliver Pearce-Burgess; Owen Bates v Oliver Pearce-Burgess; Lewy Williams v Ciaran Forde.
Group BF: Florian Preis v Mitchel Beswick; Zachary Meeks v. Born Van Put; Florian Preis v. Born Van Put; Mitchel Beswick v. Zachary Meeks; Florian Preis vs. Zachary Meeks; Born Van Put vs. Mitchel Beswick.
