Darts
World Matchplay Darts preview: Van Gerwen and Price set to dominate again
All of the top names in Darts will head to the Blackpool Winter Gardens this week for one of the biggest tournaments of the year, the World Matchplay.
All of the greats have won this tournament, one of which will be hoping to defend his title this year. We take a look at the key contenders below.
Van Gerwen and Price the ones to beat
Michael van Gerwen heads to Blackpool as the defending champion and he will be determined to maintain his crown as the joint favourite for the tournament at 4/1.
MVG needs no introduction. With three World Championships, seven Premier League titles, and countless other accolades to his name he has been a force to be reckoned with. After a relatively quiet 2022 season by his lofty standards, Van Gerwen has been on a mission to reclaim his top form. The World Matchplay presents the perfect stage for him to re-establish his dominance and get closer to regaining the world number one spot.
Van Gerwen doesn’t really have any specialties in his game because he is such a complete player. His precision, power scoring, and unrivalled finishing abilities make him a relentless opponent. While his consistency has dipped slightly in recent times, the World Matchplay’s one-shot knockout format suits his aggressive playing style. The Winter Gardens has been a happy hunting ground for Van Gerwen in the past, having won the title three times previously. Expect him to bring his A-game, igniting the crowd with his trademark fist-pumps and explosive celebrations.
On the other side of the coin is Gerwyn Price. He, along with Van Gerwen, has dominated the darts scene in recent years and ‘The Iceman’ heads into this year’s World Matchplay at a cool 4/1, making him joint-favourite with MVG.
Price’s passionate displays and intense demeanour can fire up both himself and the crowd, often leading to comical scenes such as when Price wore headphones during a match at the World Championships in order to block out crowd noise.
Having narrowly missed out on the World Matchplay title in 2022, after coming out on the wrong side of gripping final against Van Gerwen, Price will be eager to go one step further this time.
Gary Anderson to put on a vintage display
Gary Anderson is certainly a household name in the darting world and ‘The Flying Scotsman’ could be set to make his mark at this year’s World Matchplay, a tournament he won in 2018. With a wealth of experience and success to back him up, Anderson is no stranger to the pressures of top-level competition and with odds as large as 25/1 he cannot go unnoticed and could be the value bet of the tournament.
Despite facing some injury setbacks and inconsistent form in recent years, he looks rejuvenated this year. He has got to the last 16 in both the Masters & UK Open, finished runner up in the World Cup alongside Peter Wright and has just missed out in two pro tour events as well as winning one when victorious in the Players Championship 8 final.
