Betfred World Matchplay 2023 | Day Five Preview and Order of Play
The Second Round action draws to a close at the 2023 World Matchplay on Wednesday as the eight players from the bottom half of the draw look to keep their title hopes alive.
Three of the world’s top four players have now exited the competition before the halfway stage after Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price were both sent packing on Tuesday.
A first-time finalist is now guaranteed from the top half of the draw, while the bottom section also appears wide open and features two former Matchplay champions.
Arguably the stand-out tie of Day Five in Blackpool sees world number six Luke Humphries take on 11th seed Dirk van Duijvenbode.
The pair met in the final of the European Matchplay in Trier a fortnight ago – where Humphries recovered from 7-5 down and survived four missed match darts from Van Duijvenbode to snatch the title in a deciding leg.
The box office pair meet again in what has the makings of a high-scoring classic as they chase down a maiden major title this weekend.
Humphries is vying to reach his first World Matchplay Quarter-Final at the third time of asking, having thrashed Jose de Sousa 10-2 with a 101.8 average in Round One.
Van Duijvenbode is out to make it back-to-back Quarter-Final appearances at the Winter Gardens after opening up with a battling 12-10 tie break win over Kim Huybrechts on Sunday.
Meanwhile, 2021 champion Peter Wright faces in-form Ryan Searle in a repeat of the 2021 Players Championship Finals decider.
Searle’s only appearance in a PDC major final to date ended in an agonising 11-10 defeat in Minehead, and he was also denied by Wright at the World Championship a month later.
Searle registered his first win in this event in sensational style by thrashing five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 10-4 with a 105.2 average on Monday and will be determined to pick up from where he left off.
Wright, who is defending his title-winning prize money from two years ago, recovered from a slow start to cruise past UK Open champion Andrew Gilding 10-4.
The two-time World Champion is now bidding to reach the Quarter-Finals here for the eighth time in his last nine appearances.
Another former World Matchplay winner – Dimitri van den Bergh – looks to maintain his superb record in the event by reaching a fourth consecutive Quarter-Final.
The Belgian number one, semi-finalist here last time out, edged past Ross Smith 10-8 in a high quality opener with a 101.2 average and seven maximums.
Van den Bergh, the 2020 champion and runner-up the following year, now comes up against seventh seed Jonny Clayton.
An emotional Clayton, whose father has been taken ill, dug deep to fend off a late rally from German number one Gabriel Clemens on Monday evening.
The recent World Cup of Darts winner returns looking to reach the Quarter-Finals of this event for the first time in six attempts.
The opening match of the night sees giant-killer Brendan Dolan take on world number 14 Damon Heta as both look to reach the Last Eight here for the first time.
Dolan pulled off a sensational scalp of defending champion Michael van Gerwen, averaging 95.5 in a 10-7 success to send shockwaves through the field.
The former World Grand Prix finalist and multiple ranking event winner will be determined to back up that famous win by breaking new ground in what is his ninth Winter Gardens appearance.
After a memorable walk-on which saw him take to the stage with a cricket bat, Aussie ace Heta dumped out Dolan’s Northern Irish compatriot Josh Rock 10-5 with a dominant display, converting 55 per cent of his attempts at doubles.
The former Brisbane Masters and World Cup of Darts winner has reached four European Tour Semi-Finals this year and picked up a Players Championship title just a week prior to this tournament.
The action gets under way from 7pm BST, with Second Round matches to be contested over the best of 21 legs.
All matches must be won by two clear legs, with a match being extended if necessary for a maximum of six extra legs before a sudden death leg is required. For example, in a Second Round match, if the score reaches 13-13 then the 27th leg will be the sudden death decider.
WATCH WORLD MATCHPLAY DARTS STREAMED LIVE
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World Matchplay 2023 Day Five Schedule
Wednesday July 19
Second Round
7pm-11pm
Brendan Dolan v Damon Heta
Jonny Clayton v Dimitri van den Bergh
Peter Wright v Ryan Searle
Luke Humphries v Dirk van Duijvenbode
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