World Matchplay

The 29th edition of the World Matchplay was held in Blackpool from 16 to 24 July. After nine days of battle it was Michael van Gerwen who managed to take the title for the third time in his career, after a victory in the final over Gerwyn Price.

Van Gerwen starts the tournament as the fourth seeded player. In the first round he will meet former finalist Adrian Lewis. Both men don't throw a great game, but the Dutchman eventually manages to win 10-7. A round later, Joe Cullen waits. This time Van Gerwen is already throwing a little better, but opponent Cullen is quite disappointing. Van Gerwen wins 11-5 and is therefore in the quarterfinals.

In the last eight a duel awaits against Nathan Aspinall, who previously managed to eliminate Luke Humphries and James Wade. Both men make a great game of it, but it is 'Mighty Mike' who manages to win 16-14 with an average of 101.86. The semi-finals also provide an exciting match: Dimitri van den Bergh is ahead for a long time against Van Gerwen, but sees the Dutchman come alongside at the end of the match: 17-14.

Van Gerwen is back in the final for the first time since 2016. He plays against Gerwyn Price, who is in the final for the first time. It is Price who is in the lead for a long time, but Van Gerwen manages to stay close. MVG takes the lead for the first time in the race (15-14) via an exciting 130-finish and he does not relinquish it. With a wonderful 121 finish on the bulls-eye, he decides the match and can crown himself for the third time as World Matchplay champion (18-14).

In addition to Van Gerwen, Danny Noppert and Dirk van Duijvenbode also participated on behalf of the Netherlands. Both men will meet in the quarterfinals, after Noppert was too strong for Brendan Dolan and Daryl Gurney and Van Duijvenbode managed to beat Ryan Searle and Michael Smith. In their quarterfinals it is Noppert who manages to win 16-11, but in the semifinals the UK Open champion loses 17-11 to Gerwyn Price, who also manages to throw a nine-darter in that match.