Van Gerwen Dominates Littler in Blackpool Showdown
Michael van Gerwen delivered an outstanding performance to defeat debutant Luke Littler in a high-stakes first-round match at the Betfred World Matchplay on Monday.
In a thrilling clash at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, Van Gerwen emerged victorious, launching his campaign for a fourth World Matchplay title. The Dutch star, who has more wins at the Empress Ballroom than any other player in this year’s tournament, faced Littler, who was the pre-match favorite.
Van Gerwen’s impressive 10-6 win saw him average 101.93, hit five 180s, and convert ten of his 23 double attempts. He stormed to a 5-2 lead, thanks to a streak of four consecutive legs. Littler, 17, narrowed the gap to 5-4 but missed three darts to equalize in the crucial tenth leg.
Van Gerwen then secured his lead with two 12-dart holds, including a remarkable 146 checkout, extending his advantage to 8-5 and eventually sealing the match with a relentless performance.
“This means a lot to me,” said an emotional Van Gerwen, a three-time World Matchplay champion. “Everyone knows I’ve been going through a rough time, so to perform and get rewarded for your hard work is always nice. Luke is incredibly talented, but you have to face the challenge. Winning when both players are at their best is an incredible feeling.”
Monday’s action also saw Michael Smith, Ryan Searle, and Chris Dobey advance to the last 16, concluding the first-round matches at the Winter Gardens.
Smith overcame a slow start to defeat former mentor Gary Anderson 10-5, achieving his highest average on the Winter Gardens stage. Anderson began strongly, taking a 3-0 lead, but Smith responded with seven consecutive legs to dominate the match, finishing with a 102 average.
“I was 3-0 down and not playing well,” admitted Smith. “I respect Gary a lot, and we’re still good friends. I’m here to play darts and entertain the crowd.”
Smith will next face Chris Dobey, who edged out Ritchie Edhouse 10-7 in a hard-fought match despite missing 28 darts at double. Dobey recovered from a 5-3 deficit, winning seven of the next nine legs to secure his spot in the last 16.
“I knew it was going to be tough,” Dobey reflected. “Ritchie is persistent, but I managed to dig in and turn it around. I feel at home on this stage now.”
Ryan Searle kicked off the evening with a dominant 10-4 victory over Australian number one Damon Heta, featuring three ton-plus checkouts and a 101 average. Searle, who had the highest average in last year’s tournament’s opening round, delivered another impressive performance, including 167 and 142 checkouts.
“Something has just clicked for me recently,” said Searle. “I’m going to need to keep this form, and if I do, it will take something special to stop me.”
The second round begins on Tuesday, featuring reigning champion Nathan Aspinall against 2007 winner James Wade, and world number one Luke Humphries facing Masters champion Stephen Bunting. Other matches include 2020 champion Dimitri Van den Bergh against 2023 runner-up Jonny Clayton, and 2022 finalist Gerwyn Price taking on former European Champion Ross Smith.
Tuesday, July 16 (1900 BST) Second Round Matches:
• Gerwyn Price vs. Ross Smith
• Nathan Aspinall vs. James Wade
• Luke Humphries vs. Stephen Bunting
• Jonny Clayton vs. Dimitri Van den Bergh
