Kim Huybrechts has slammed a rule that requires a player to perform twice on the opening night of the World Darts Championships.
The format sees the winner of the opening match of the tournament return later within the evening to tackle the defending champion.
French player Thibault Tricole is first as much as the stage on Sunday where he’ll face Australian Joe Comito, with the winner of that match to return afterward to battle Luke Humphries.
The reigning champion is one in every of 32 high-ranking players who will enter the competition on the second-round stage, but Humphries will now receive what could pan out as an extra warm-up match.
Huybrechts believes the schedule is unfair and says that facing the champion after a first-round match is simply too much for anyone on opening night.
The Belgian even likened the scenario to Club Brugge facing Liverpool and Manchester City on the identical evening.
“I feel it’s outrageous that they’re doing this. Really outrageous, I don’t think that’s acceptable,” Huybrechts told the Double Top podcast, via DartsNews.
“It has happened once to date that the reigning world champion was straight out and that was John Part.
“For the remainder, we haven’t even come near such a shock. Aside from Kevin Doets last 12 months against Michael Smith.
“Now we now have Tricole against Comito. The latter comes all the best way from Australia and possibly he’s going to surprise.
“That one is then going to have a wow feeling after which they tap his back, ‘Hey, in an hour you might have to throw again’.
“Whereas all the opposite 94 players have a day or days to let all of it sink in.
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“These guys have an hour and a half after which they must compete against one of the best darter on the planet.
“That’s like Club Brugge within the Champions League being pleased with a degree against Manchester City after which having to get right back into it against Liverpool.
“In no other sport do you undergo something like that. So again, I don’t see it happening that the world champion shall be out soon.
“Why does it necessarily must play on the primary day?
“It’s not fair.”
Huybrechts kicks off his World Championship campaign on opening night as he faces Ireland’s Keane Barry in a first-round clash.
The primary of the massive hitters lie in wait should Huybrechts come through unscathed, with Gerwyn Price awaiting the winner in a second-round match scheduled for Monday evening.
