World Grand Prix 2019 Semi-Finals preview and order of play: Final four face off in Dublin

The final four collide for a date with destiny at the 2019 World Grand Prix as the Semi-Finals take centre stage on Friday evening.

A four-time champion, a former finalist and two red hot debutants comprise the line-up for the Last Four as they aim to keep their title dream alive at the Citywest.

Michael van Gerwen looks to remain on course to retain this prestigious title for the first time and book his place in a sixth final in nine appearances by overcoming Geordie star Chris Dobey.

The world number one survived an early scare as he came from a set down to edge out Jamie Hughes in Round One but was in contrastingly ruthless form when he thrashed Dutch compatriot Jeffrey de Zwaan in straight sets with a 95 average on Tuesday.

He then knocked out Mervyn King 3-1 in a repeat of the 2012 final – his first major triumph – and is now bidding to extend his unbeaten record over Dobey to five games in all competitions.

Dobey has already broken new territory on the Emerald Isle this week, storming through to his first major televised Semi-Final amid a series of superb displays.

The 29-year-old has kicked on from February’s guest appearance in the Premier League to affirm himself as a dangerous force at the top level, seeing off Ricky Evans in successive sets before putting out Gary Anderson 3-1 and edging out Ian White in a last-set decider.

This is undoubtedly the biggest occasion of Dobey’s four-year professional career so far and he will be keen to settle in to the contest as quickly as possible and take the game to the current World Champion.

In-form debutant Dobey celebrates (Photo by Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

The opening Semi-Final sees 2013 finalist Dave Chisnall take on reigning and three-time BDO World Champion Glen Durrant in another match to savour.

Chisnall finished runner-up to Phil Taylor six years ago and appears somewhere close to the form which led him to that final, having followed up his recent nine-darter in the Gibraltar Trophy by dispatching Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall for the loss of just two sets.

A rejuvenated ‘Chizzy’ looks to be thriving with his new setup and will be quietly confident he can finally end the wait for that elusive maiden major title this weekend.

Durrant, meanwhile, has battled his way through to a second successive major Semi-Final, following on from July’s World Matchplay in Blackpool.

The two-time PDC ranking event winner has not been at his brilliant best by his own admission this week, but has displayed superb grit and tenacity to come through last-set deciders against Krzysztof Ratajski, Rob Cross and Jermaine Wattimena.

His exploits in a remarkable first season as a PDC Tour Card holder have already ensured he will enter the world’s top 32 for the first time after this tournament, but for the time being he will be fully focused on the next task in front of him.

The pair have met twice before, claiming one win apiece, with ‘Duzza’ prevailing 10-6 in the Last 16 of the 2017 Grand Slam before Chisnall clinched a Players Championship title in February courtesy of an 8-7 victory over the Middlesbrough man in the final.

The action gets underway from 7pm BST, with Semi-Final matches to be contested over the best of seven sets (best of five legs per set).

Friday October 11

Semi-Finals

7.15pm Dave Chisnall v Glen Durrant

8.45pm Michael van Gerwen v Chris Dobey