Blackpool’s Winter Gardens hosts World Matchplay semi-final showdowns
Gerwyn Price delivered a strong performance against Ross Smith, securing a 16-12 victory in the World Matchplay quarter-finals. This win sets up a semi-final match for Price against Gian van Veen. The quarter-final match saw Price initially take control at 12-8, but Smith managed to level the score before Price ultimately sealed the win with a 102.78 average.
Price, a Welshman, expressed his satisfaction with his play, noting that it provides confidence for the next round. He acknowledged Smith’s comeback, stating, “For him to get back to 12-12, I thought ‘here we go again’, but thankfully I rode off four legs on the bounce.” This victory marks Price’s bid to reach the tournament final for the first time.
Semi-finalists Emerge from Quarter-Finals
Gian van Veen, representing the Netherlands, earned his spot in the semi-finals by defeating James Wade 16-13. Van Veen established an early lead, holding a three-leg advantage at 11-7. However, Wade, an Englishman, fought back to draw level at 11-11. Van Veen then broke Wade’s throw with a 118 checkout to go 14-12 up, eventually closing out the match.
Van Veen reflected on the tight contest, stating he was pleased to have completed the job. He also mentioned that Wade’s scoring was not at its best and credited his own finishing for his progression. Van Veen hopes to improve his performance in the semi-finals. The upcoming semi-final between Price and Van Veen is scheduled for Saturday.
The other semi-final will feature defending champion and world number one Luke Littler against unseeded Dirk van Duijvenbode. Both Littler and Van Duijvenbode secured their places in the last four on Thursday. The semi-finals are set to begin from 20:05 BST on Saturday.
Quarter-Final Performances and Tournament Context
The quarter-final matches were played in a best-of-31 legs format. In the match between Ross Smith and Gerwyn Price, the three-dart average for 2026 for Price was 99.36, while Smith’s was 95.86. Price had a checkout percentage of 43.04% compared to Smith’s 41.14%. Both players had won two titles in 2026, with no TV titles for either.
Price’s journey to the quarter-finals included victories over Martin Schindler and Rob Cross. Prior to the quarter-finals, there were discussions about Price’s confidence and motivation levels, which were expected to build after reaching this stage. Smith had reached the quarter-finals after Cameron Menzies withdrew due to illness, and had previously defeated Kevin Doets 10-6 with a 100 average and seven 180s.
In the match between Gian van Veen and James Wade, Van Veen’s 2026 three-dart average was 95.79, slightly higher than Wade’s 94.68. Wade had a checkout percentage of 42.8%, while Van Veen’s was 40.26%. Wade had won one title in 2026, whereas Van Veen had not won any. Wade, a seven-time finalist, had previously overcome Van Veen at the same stage of the competition a year prior.
Van Veen’s path to the quarter-finals included a 14-12 triumph over fellow Dutchman Wessel Nijman. Wade had secured his place in the quarter-finals by defeating Ryan Searle 11-8. The World Matchplay semi-finals will be broadcast from 19:30 BST on Saturday.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
