Mens Matchplay
Darts World Matchplay quarter finals preview: World’s best battle it out for final four
The 2022 Darts World Matchplay tournament is approaching the business end as the best of the best go head-to-head in Blackpool.
The quarter finals will take place on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd of July with the top players playing for a spot in the semi-finals. Three of the World’s top four players will be in action.
We preview the four quarter final matchups below.
Peter Wright v Dimitri Van den Bergh
The first quarter final matchup sees a repeat of last year’s final. Peter Wright came out on top last time and the world number one is favourite to do so again at 8/11. Wright wouldn’t have expected such a tough challenge in his last match as it took him 24 sets to beat Krzysztof Ratajski.
Van den Bergh has a slightly easier time in the last round as he defeated Rowby John-Rodriguez 11-6 and Wright’s struggles in the last round will give the Belgian some extra confidence heading into this match as the underdog at 11/10. Those odds show that the current world number nine is very much in with a chance of making the semi-finals.
Michael van Gerwen v Nathan Aspinall
The final match on Thursday night promises to be a fiery encounter as the infamous Michael van Gerwen takes on former UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall. ‘MVG’ is the clear favourite for this match at 4/7 with countless championships and an unquestionable record to back up those odds. The Dutchman didn’t put a foot wrong in the last round as he dispatched world number 13 Joe Cullen by 11 sets to five.
Nathan Aspinall will have the home crowd behind him in Blackpool and he will need to harness all of their energy if he is to cause an upset. After putting on an impressive display to beat an 11-time PDC premier event champion in James Wade in the last round he will bring heaps of confidence into this matchup. He is the clear underdog at 11/8 and after losing to the van Gerwen in their last meeting he will be seeking revenge in Blackpool.
Check out all the latest betting offers at William Hill
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Danny Noppert
Friday night’s first matchup is set to be one to remember as Dirk van Duijvenbode takes on his fellow countryman and World Cup partner Donny Noppert. These two managed to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup of Darts earlier this year but will have to set their friendship aside on Friday night. With little to separate the two players the higher ranked Danny Noppert is slim favourite at 4/5 for the win.
Van Duijvenbode will be hoping to get one over on his close friend and at Evens he has every chance of doing so. “The Titan” has lost his last two matches against Noppert but having reached the fourth round of the World Championships this year he will hope his good form can pull him through.
Gerwyn Price v Jose de Sousa
The last of the four quarter finals will showcase two of the world’s best, with a clash between second-ranked Gerwyn Price and seventh-ranked Jose de Sousa. With two quarter final appearances under his belt already this year and a 11-8 win over Dave Chisnall in the last round the Welshman will be hoping to continue his winning ways. As the 1/2 odds-on favourite “The Iceman” has lived up to his name in recent years and will look to keep a cool head on the oche to secure the victory.
Whilst he is the clear underdog at 7/4 de Sousa is not a player to be counted out with a Grand Slam of Darts title to his name where he beat Michael van Gerwen in the 2020 final. The Portuguese player will need everything to go his way in Blackpool on Friday night but the crowd love an underdog and their support may just help him put up a serious fight.
Who will go all the way?
Gerwyn Price currently leads the market to be crowned World Matchplay champion at 7/2, closely followed by two-time World Matchplay winner Michael van Gerwen, who is a 15/4 chance.
Peter Wright is a 4/1 chance to retain his title, with Dimitri Van den Bergh next in the market at 11/2.
One of the Belgian duo of Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert will be eliminated in the quarter finals, and the latter is just favourite of the two to lift the title at 15/2, with van Duijvenbode 8/1.
Nathan Aspinall and Jose de Sousa are tournament outsiders at 11/1 and 14/1 respectively.
