Sunday, July 26, 2026
Column CM165
World Matchplay 2026 – Quarter-finals (and another debutant!)
The quarter-finals were played over two evenings, and the only players involved who were not from the United Kingdom were the two Dutchmen, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Gian van Veen. Of all players van Duijvenbode was the only unseeded player.
In one of the quarter-finals, the winner was clear from the start. Luke Littler had simply played too well throughout the tournament and one couldnt see how Josh Rock would be a threat.
And that is exactly how it played out – it was a thoroughly one-sided match, and Rock was unable to capitalize on the few chances Littler did give him. The Northern Irishman actually played a good game, but his doubles let him down at crucial moments. He managed to keep pace until the score reached 5-5, but after that, Littler pulled away relentlessly, leaving Rock to win only two more legs.
The other three quarter-finals were not as clear-cut, and there were no obvious favorites going in. I would have perhaps tipped van Veen as a likely winner, given the confidence boost he surely gained from his victory over Wessel Nijman. However, he was up against James Wade – a player who always approaches and wins matches in his own unique style..
On the first of the two quarter-final nights, Gary Anderson and Dirk van Duijvenbode took to the oche alongside Luke Littler and Josh Rock. Anderson had played impressively up to that point, while van Duijvenbode had successfully come through two tie-break matches. 
Anderson didn’t seem as focused during his walk-on as he had been before his first two matches, and for much of the game, van Duijvenbode had no trouble keeping the Scot at bay – much to the crowd’s displeasure. With the Dutchman leading 14-6, Anderson’s attitude suddenly shifted; he began winning leg after leg – something he clearly enjoyed, as seemingly did his opponent and, to be sure , the audience. It wasn’t enough for Anderson to win the match, but he seemed somewhat at peace with his 16–13 defeat, having once again demonstrated to everyone what a fantastic darts player he is.
The two matches on the second quarter-final night were both relatively evenly contested. The evening began with the quarter-final between Gerwyn Price and Ross Smith. 
Price controlled the match from the start, with Ross constantly playing catch-up. It was only when Price was already leading 12–8 and a few errors crept into his game that Ross found his rhythm and managed to level the score at 12–12. Price responded, improved his game again, and secured the final four legs to claim a 16–12 victory.
In the final quarter-final, James Wade and Gian van Veen took to the stage, resulting in a match that was close but also a bit peculiar. Much like with Anderson, I got the impression during Wade’s walk-on that he wasn’t particularly keen on the match; although he maintained a better average throughout, he didn’t seem really interested. 
The inevitable happened: van Veen took a 9–6 lead, later extending it to 11–7. Wade did launch a late comeback and hit a few impressive finishes, but ultimately it was too little, too late. Despite not scoring particularly well, van Veen won 16–13 and advanced to his first World Matchplay semi-final. However, he will certainly need to raise his game against a determined Price…
And that brings us to our debutant – who happens to be a woman!
Every year since the Women’s World Matchplay began – it is still a relatively new tournament – there has been at least one debutant. This year, another player who had previously never qualified for the Women’s World Matchplay will take the stage: Deta Hedman.
It feels a bit odd to describe Hedman as a debutante, given that she is now 66 years old. However, she has indeed never competed in the Women’s World Matchplay before – partly because she spent a few years away from the Women’s Series. Hedman may not be quite the force she was a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean she stands no chance in her Winter Gardens debut – after all, she secured the WDF Women’s World Championship title for the first time last year.
She will face Fallon Sherrock in her opening match – an opponent who also appears less dominant than in previous years but will likely prove too strong for Hedman, thanks in part to her experience in this tournament. On the other hand, Hedman remains a regular on the WDF circuit and holds the number one spot in the women’s WDF rankings. She currently sits in sixth place in the Women’s Series rankings where Sherrock holds third place.
