TOP SEED Michael van Gerwen will play leading home star Max Hopp in the first round of the 2018 German Darts Masters when the World Series of Darts event is held on Friday May 25 in Gelsenkirchen.
The first of six global events on the 2018 World Series of Darts will take place in front of a record-breaking 20,000 crowd at the Veltins Arena which will be transformed into a "Darts Music Arena" for the one-day spectacle.
Eight leading German players will compete in the tournament, led by German Darts Open champion Hopp, who will be hoping for first career win against Dutch ace Van Gerwen.
Reigning champion Peter Wright will face Dragutin Horvat in a rematch of their first round clash in last year’s tournament, which saw the world number two edge a 6-5 thriller.
Berlin-based youngster Schindler, who made his breakthrough last year, will take on World Series debutant Dimitri Van den Bergh, the World Youth Champion who steps onto the global stage.
World Champion Rob Cross will also be making his first World Series appearance as he faces Stefan Stoyke in the opening round.
Number four seed Gary Anderson will take on Gabriel Clemens, who has made a big impact on the ProTour in 2018, while World Championship semi-finalist Jamie Lewis will also take his World Series bow against Nico Kurz.
Austria's Mensur Suljovic will play Robert Marijanovic, and five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld will take on Manfred Bilderl.
The first round will be split across two mini-sessions at 3pm and 5.30pm local time, with the quarter-finals kicking off a bumper evening session from 8pm.
The intervals will see music acts on stage at the Veltins Arena to complement the unique World Series of Darts tournament.
Tickets for the 2018 German Darts Masters are still available and can be purchased via THIS LINK.
2018 German Darts Masters
First Round Draw
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Max Hopp
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Martin Schindler
Gary Anderson (4) v Gabriel Clemens
Jamie Lewis v Nico Kurz
Peter Wright (2) v Dragutin Horvat
Raymond van Barneveld v Manfred Bilderl
Rob Cross (3) v Stefan Stoyke
Mensur Suljovic v Robert Marijanovic
Schedule of Play
First Round
3pm Local Time
Raymond van Barneveld v Manfred Bilderl
Jamie Lewis v Nico Kurz
Mensur Suljovic v Robert Marijanovic
Gary Anderson v Gabriel Clemens
5.30pm Local time
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Martin Schindler
Michael van Gerwen v Max Hopp
Peter Wright v Dragutin Horvat
Rob Cross v Stefan Stoyke
Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals
8pm Local Time
Anderson/Clemens v Lewis/Kurz
Van Gerwen/Hopp v Van den Bergh/Schindler
Wright/Horvat v Van Barneveld/Bilderl
Cross/Stoyke v Suljovic/Marijanovic
Best of 15 legs
Semi-Finals
Anderson/Clemens/Lewis/Kurz v Van Gerwen/Hopp/Van den Bergh/Schindler
Wright/Horvat/Van Barneveld/Bilderl v Cross/Stoyke/Suljovic/Marijanovic
Best of 15 legs
Final
v
Best of 15 legs
The draw was made live on the OfficialPDC Facebook page by PDC Chairman Barry Hearn and three-time World Champion John Part on Thursday May 17.