Zhou to make history for China in Betway World Cup of Darts

Momo Zhou will become the first woman to represent China on a PDC stage at the 2018 Betway World Cup of Darts as seven further nations confirm their teams for the forthcoming event.

Zhou, who won the World Cup China qualifier, will team up with runner-up Xiaochen Zong as the tournament takes place at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt from May 31 – June 3.

The 26-year-old will become the second female player to appear at the World Cup of Darts, after Anastasia Dobromyslova represented Russia at the 2010 tournament.

Zhou and 20-year-old Zong – a World Championship qualifier last year – both hail from the same home town of Dandong in Liaoning Province, and the pair will be looking to improve on China’s first round exit last year.

China will be joined by four other Asian countries at the World Cup, all of which have now confirmed their pairings to play at the event following the second weekend of the 2018 PDC Asian Tour.

Japan will be represented by World Cup ever-present Haruki Muramatsu and Seigo Asada, who won through to the 2018 World Championship first round before losing to eventual winner Rob Cross.

Darts legend Paul Lim will once again team up with Harith Lim as Singapore aim to better their run to the quarter-finals of last year’s tournament, which included a sensational win over Scottish pairing Gary Anderson and Peter Wright.

Thailand’s line-up will also have a familiar look as Thanawat Gaweenuntavong and Attapol Eupakaree will bid to improve on their first round defeat to Greece at last year’s event.

Recognisable Hong Kong star Royden Lam will appear in his fifth consecutive World Cup alongside debutant Ho Yin Shek.

Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong’s pairings were chosen from the highest two ranked players on the Asian Tour Order of Merit following the four events held so far in 2018 on the new PDC-affiliated circuit.

Meanwhile, Larry Butler and Darin Young will be the American team, after finishing as the top two players on a two-year Championship Darts Corporation ranking list.

Former World Matchplay champion Butler had been the runaway leader, with Young overtaking DJ Sayre on Sunday by progressing one round further in the final CDC event before the USA team was confirmed.

Russia will once again be represented by Boris Koltsov and Aleksandr Oreshkin after qualifying from a two-year EADC Order of Merit, and will be bidding to emulate last year’s run to the quarter-finals thanks to wins over Hong Kong and Australia.

The 2018 Betway World Cup of Darts will see 32 nations represented by two-player teams as they compete from May 31-June 3 at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany, and will be televised live on Sky Sports and worldwide through the PDC’s series of international broadcast partners.

For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.tv/tickets

Betway World Cup of Darts

Competing Nations:

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Brazil – Diogo Portela & Bruno Rangel

Canada

China – Momo Zhou & Xiaochen Zong

Czech Republic – Roman Benecky & Karel Sedlacek

Denmark – Per Laursen & Henrik Primdal

England