Gary Anderson is looking to defending his Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters title this week, but world number one Michael van Gerwen is odds on to claim the title.

Anderson will begin his defence against Phil Taylor on Wednesday, as Dutch giants van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld prepare to meet in the World Series of Darts opener.

The fifth staging of the Dubai Darts Masters will take place on May 24-25 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, with the open-air setting providing a spectacular backdrop for the two-day championship.

The year’s first World Series of Darts tournament will begin with the high-profile meeting between defending Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters champion Anderson and legendary 16-time World Champion Taylor.

Taylor will be competing in Dubai for the final time ahead of his retirement at the end of the year, while Anderson is returning to the scene of his first of three World Series wins last year.

World Champion Van Gerwen was the winner in the first three years of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters from 2013-2015 before losing out to Anderson in last year’s final.

He faces an all-Dutch clash with Van Barneveld in their quarter-final on Wednesday, in a game which revives memories of their meeting in the final four years ago.

Van Barneveld was one of just two players to defeat Van Gerwen during the recent Premier League season, and is aiming to see off the world number one in Dubai on Wednesday.

Number four seed James Wade will play debutant Gerwyn Price, with the Welsh ace having secured selection for the tournament after reaching March’s UK Open final but a newcomer on the open-air stage in Dubai.

Premier League runner-up Peter Wright, another former finalist in Dubai, will take on Dave Chisnall in the other quarter-final, with both players in strong form recently.

2017 Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters:

Wednesday May 24 (8pm)
Quarter-Finals
Best of 19 legs
James Wade v Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright v Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld

Thursday May 25 (8pm)
Semi-Finals
Best of 21 legs

Final
Best of 21 legs