MALGUENAC - History-making Frenchman Thibault Tricole, the only darts player from his country to play at the PDC World Championship, has his eyes set on a possible dream second-round tie against reigning champion Luke Humphries when the 2025 edition gets under way later in December.
The sport has not taken off in France in the same way it has in much of Europe.
The world championship attracts millions of TV viewers in Britain, the Netherlands and Germany every year and the emergence of teenage star Luke Littler has won over many new fans, but it is rarely shown on French TV.
But Tricole - the second Frenchman to win a PDC Tour card - broke new ground by qualifying for the 2023-24 edition of darts' blue-riband event, where he lost 3-0 to 2018 champion Rob Cross in the second round.
The 35-year-old will be a strong favourite when he takes on Australian qualifier Joe Comito in the first match of the tournament on Dec 15, with a clash against Humphries awaiting the winner that evening.
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