There are more seeded players in the third round of the Darts World Championship in London than in any of the past ten years.

29 of 32 professionals took the first hurdle at Alexandra Palace after a bye, from this Tuesday (1.30 p.m. and 8 p.m./Sport1 and DAZN) there will be direct duels between the seeded players. The only three top 32 professionals to drop out before Christmas were former European champions James Wade and fellow Englishman Callan Rydz, and Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney.

Germany's number one Gabriel Clemens could benefit from Wade's early exit and hopes to make it through to the round of 16 against Welsh outsider Jim Williams on Tuesday evening (8:15 p.m.). The second German starter Martin Schindler is a clear outsider against last year's English finalist Michael Smith on Tuesday evening. The highlight of the third round is the duel between the two former world champions Gerwyn Price from Wales and Raymond van Barneveld from the Netherlands.