The Swiss Darts Trophy has been hit by four high-profile withdrawals just before the tournament gets underway in Basel, Switzerland. Gerwyn Price, Gary Anderson, Nathan Aspinall and Ryan Joyce have all pulled out of the European Tour event, leaving the field without three of the biggest names in the sport.
No further information has been released about the reasons for the four withdrawals. Their places will be taken by Karel Sedlacek, Alan Soutar, Rob Owen and Nick Kenny, who were the highest-ranked players to lose their final match during the qualifying event for Tour Card holders. They will therefore get another opportunity to appear at the Swiss Darts Trophy.
The replacements now also know who they will face in their opening matches. Sedlacek takes on Sebastian Bialecki, while Soutar faces Dave Chisnall. Owen will play former world champion Michael Smith, and Kenny has been drawn against Dutchman Kevin Doets.
The Swiss Darts Trophy will go ahead without Price, Anderson, Aspinall and Joyce, but the four replacements will be eager to make the most of their second chance on the European Tour stage.
