The next Players Championship double header is set for May 18-19 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, with Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price among the entrants. However, several top names are absent, including Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler, Nathan Aspinall, and Gary Anderson.
Van Gerwen, who has played almost everything in recent months, will not be involved this week. He recently won a title in Minehead and is scheduled to play in Riesa next weekend, as he picks and chooses events with the final night of the regular Premier League season approaching. Nathan Aspinall continues to skip ProTour events, while Luke Littler maintains his boycott of these tournaments and is also not playing on the European Tour when held in Germany. Littler won in Belgium earlier this season and feasibly does not need to play again. Gary Anderson is the only other big name not playing this week.
Replacing the absentees are Joe Hunt, Derek Coulson, Tommy Lishman, and Tommy Morris. Daniel Ayres will play only Players Championship 17, and Christopher Wickenden only Players Championship 18. The full list of 128 entrants includes Wessel Nijman, who has been a dominant force recently, winning multiple titles in the past two weeks. Other notable names in the field are Stephen Bunting, Dave Chisnall, Jonny Clayton, Rob Cross, Michael Smith, Peter Wright, and Raymond van Barneveld.
The tournament will be held over two days, with Players Championship 17 on May 18 and Players Championship 18 on May 19. The Mattioli Arena in Leicester will host the action, and fans can expect a competitive field despite the absence of several top stars.
