Tuesday, July 23, 2023
Column CM133
World Matchplay 2024 – The Second Round
In the second round the format was a little bit longer – perhaps this was not good for all the matches.
The first evening I watched fromt home. On the second night I was in Blackpool. It is always more thrilling when you can see a tournament live, though in my case most of my time is spent in the press room. But the atmosphere is completely different and the enthusiasm of the crowd is electric. So, for me the second quarterfinals night was much more interesting.
On the first nigtht of the second round, Nathan Aspianll‘s attempt to defend his title failed – despite all his fighting spirit. James Wade played another consistent match against him and did not waver while Aspinall’s problems with his throwing arm continued – he ony really offered resistance in the second half of the match. All in all he just made too many mistakes.
More surpinsing was that Gerwyn Price lost to Ross Smith. But Smith was just a little bit better then Price – especially in the second half of the match. And then he also started to become clinical on his doubles. So, it was a deserved win for Ross Smith who at the moment is in really good from.
Luke Humphries won against Stephen Bunting but it was for much of the match it was a head-to-head race – and no easy clean-sweep for the World Champion. It took him some time to get into the match. But in the end he once again convinced.
Also evenly matched (though with an average not quite as high) was the contest between Dimitri van den Bergh and Jonny Clayton. But near the end Clayton somehow slackened – double-trouble was his undoing.
The second night started with the match between Krzysztof Ratajski and Andrew Gilding – two of the unseeded players still in the tournament. Ratajski’s performance was strangely indifferent and not really focused. Gilding was the complete opposite – he really wanted to win and succeeded. He improved impressively compared to his first match.
After that, Rob Cross played his second match – against the strong playing Ryan Searle. It again an outstanding match from Cross and one could see he is enjoing himself. It showed in his 106.99 average. Searle on the other side got more and more frustrated as he couldn`t seem to touch Cross. Searle was just not able to build on his first round performance.
The last two second round matches were quite similar. In both matches one of the players had a clear advantage in the first part of the match and his opponent started the comeback too late to turn it around in his favour…
First, Michael van Gerwen and Joe Cullen came on stage. MVG played (for him) a realatively weak match and looked quite beatable but it took too long before Cullen realised it. Probably he thought he wouldn’t have a chance against the Dutchman anyway. Had Cullen played as he did in his first match on this day he could have beaten van Gerwen. He was eliminated.
The last second round match was a little bit shaded by the close friendship between Michael Smith and Chris Dobey – which Smith managed to put behind earlier then Dobey. It was quite a brisk match and Smith dominated the first part. Only just before the second break did Dobey start to look more comfortable and the contest became more evenly matched and closer. But Dobey never managed the necessary rebreak and Smith won 11-9.
In the second round it was again Rob Cross who impressed most. Humphries at the moment makes it difficult for himself and plays a little bit tense. van Gerwen, so far, failed to convince with his performances. Wade and Gilding as non seeded players survived the second round as well and are probably the surprise players of the tournament. Michael Smith is, so far, under the radar which might be dangerous. Ross Smith and Dimitri van den Bergh until now have both played a good tournament.
