2025 World Matchplay Darts: Full Wednesday schedule as Luke Littler hunts glory
World Champion Luke Littler is back on the Blackpool stage aiming to take the next step to a first Betfred World Matchplay title.
The teenage sensation made a sparkling start to his bid at the weekend and now aims for a spot in the last eight at the Winter Gardens.
Fellow World Champions Gerwyn Price and Michael Van Gerwen are also back on the stage after being part of Monday's explosive session aiming to avoid shock exits.
Blackpool has already seen some major names go out of the £800,000 event with Luke Humphries ' first-game exit a stunner.
Seeds such as Rob Cross and Dave Chisnall have followed Cool Hand out of the door leaving Littler as the strong title favourite. Tuesday four ties sees multiple World Champions take to the stage and Record Sport takes you through the quartet of eagerly-anticipated encounters.
Schedule of Play (7pm)
Second Round
Andrew Gilding v Dirk Van Duijvenbode
Gilding missed double 12 for a spectacular nine-darter in his tie against Damon Heta before running out a 12-10 winner in a Winter Gardens epic. Both players averaged over a ton in a compelling contest and it was Goldfinger who prevailed in a dramatic tie-break. Van Duijvenbode earned his last 16 spot with a superb 10-8 win over Rob Cross. The Dutchman overturned a 6-2 deficit to stun the 2019 champion, unleashing a brilliant late barrage, including a magnificent tops-tops 137 checkout, to complete the comeback.
Chris Dobey v Gerwyn Price
2022 runner-up Price maintained his terrific form to overcome Daryl Gurney in an explosive encounter which made headlines for an end-of-match and backstage bust-up. The Welshman defied a spectacular 150 checkout from his rival with back-to-back legs of 11 and 14 darts to wrap up a 10-7 success.
Dobey got over a sluggish start to advance to the last 16 for a fourth straight year with a comfortable 10-5 victory over German No.2 Ricardo Pietreczko, winning seven of the last eight legs to progress.
Luke Littler vs Jermaine Wattimena
Littler sent out a statement to his title rivals producing a devastating display to celebrate his first win on the iconic Winter Gardens stage. The teenager swept aside a shellshocked Ryan Searle in just 16 minutes of play. Littler was imperious from start to finish at the Empress Ballroom averaging 108.92 and crashing in five maximums in his 10-2 demolition of the Somerset star. Wattimena had a tougher passage as he fended off a spirited fightback from 2021 champion Peter Wright to secure his first World Matchplay win, at the fifth attempt. The Dutchman suffered a quartet of first round exits between 2018 and 2021, but he marked his return with a hard-fought 10-8 victory at the expense of the two-time World Champion.
Michael van Gerwen vs Josh Rock
Van Gerwen overturned a 4-3 deficit against Raymond van Barneveld to prevail in a battle of the Dutch darting legends. Barney exploited some early errors from Van Gerwen to hit the front before the World No.3 found his range in the closing stages to progress. Rock produced a blistering performance to begin his bid for Matchplay glory. The World Cup winner came of age on his Winter Gardens return to sweep aside former European Champion Ross Smith. The Northern Irishman punished a nightmare start from Smith to win the opening five legs without reply, and although Smith grew into the contest, Rock always remained in control.
Thursday July 24 (8pm) - Quarter-Finals x2
Friday July 25 (8pm) - Quarter-Finals x2
Saturday July 26 (8pm) - Semi-Finals
Sunday July 27 - Afternoon Session (1pm)
Betfred Women's World Matchplay
Quarter-Finals
Beau Greaves v Kirsi Viinikainen
Lisa Ashton v Robyn Byrne
Noa-Lynn van Leuven v Lorraine Winstanley
Fallon Sherrock v Gemma Hayter
Semi-Finals
Greaves/Viinikainen v Ashton/Byrne
Van Leuven/Winstanley v Sherrock/Hayter
Final
Evening Session (8pm)
Betfred World Matchplay Final
WHERE TO WATCH: The Betfred World Matchplay will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
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The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Luke Littler finishes with a flourish to reach World Matchplay semi-finals
Luke Littler produced an impressive 11-dart leg to seal a 16-14 victory over Andrew Gilding in their Betfred World Matchplay quarter-final. The world champion never went behind and produced a 103.91 average to set up a semi-final against Josh Rock at Blackpool. Littler had a five-leg advantage at one point in the contest, during which he produced 18 maximums. However, Gilding set up a tense finish – with a 160 finish the highlight of a three-leg streak by the former UK Open champion. Rock managed a 104.02 average in his 16-11 win over Gerwyn Price, the fourth quarter-final to be played at the Winter Gardens. Saturday's other best-of-33 leg semi-final sees James Wade face Jonny Clayton.
BBC News
9 minutes ago
- BBC News
Littler 'finds rhythm' to set up Rock semi-final
World champion Luke Littler survived a fightback from Andrew Gilding to set up a World Matchplay semi-final against Josh was on course for a regulation win after opening up a sizeable lead in the quarter-final at Blackpool's Winter Gardens, first at 12-8 and again at Gilding responded by winning three consecutive legs and pegged him back to 15-14, but the 18-year-old held his nerve for a 16-14 will face Rock for a place in the final after the Northern Irishman beat 2023 runner-up Gerwyn Price 16-11. Littler averaged 103.91 to Gilding's 98.45 and threw 18 maximums en route to his first semi-final at the triple crown event. "[The crowd] got their money's worth. I think they wanted 15-all but that last leg, I just had to stay focused," he told Sky Sports."I didn't really panic. Leg by leg, Andrew started to win a few on the trot, but on the last leg, against the darts, I just had to get over the line."He played his part, it's very tough. Andrew never goes out of rhythm, he's the same throw by throw. I just had to find a rhythm to match him."Littler teased there would be "fireworks" in the fourth quarter-final and Rock delivered. Both the 24-year-old (104.02) and Price (100.21) averaged above 100, but it was Rock who seized the moment, winning three consecutive legs to open up an 11-8 lead and then extending his advantage to 13-9. Price rallied to make it 13-11, but Rock - who beat three-time champion Michael van Gerwen in round two - closed out the match in style, winning the last three legs and producing a checkout of 164 in the final one."I'm on cloud nine at the minute. What a game," Rock told on Sky Sports. "I was just like, 'Josh, you're doing nothing wrong, you're playing your own game, happy days'. The form Gerwyn's in, you know what to expect. "Littler's one of my closest friends behind the scenes. I hope we both turn up. Hopefully it will be a cracking game."The semi-finals will take place on Saturday evening with England's James Wade facing Jonny Clayton of Wales, before Littler's meeting with Rock.
South Wales Guardian
13 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Luke Littler finishes with a flourish to reach World Matchplay semi-finals
The world champion never went behind and produced a 103.91 average to set up a semi-final against Josh Rock at Blackpool. Littler had a five-leg advantage at one point in the contest, during which he produced 18 maximums. However, Gilding set up a tense finish – with a 160 finish the highlight of a three-leg streak by the former UK Open champion. Littler, 18, said afterwards: 'I just had to stay focused, and I'm so glad to get over the line. 'Andrew is a top player. He fought back really well, and that's why he's a major champion. 'He's such a tough opponent, but I didn't panic. I missed a few doubles at times, but my scoring power was really strong tonight. 'The atmosphere was unbelievable. I really didn't want to go to a tie-break, so to hit an 11-darter with back-to-back 180s was class.' Rock managed a 104.02 average in his 16-11 win over Gerwyn Price, the fourth quarter-final to be played at the Winter Gardens. The victor said afterwards: 'I can't wait to finally play Luke on the big stage. The darting world will be watching that game. 'Luke is one of my close friends behind the scenes. Hopefully we both turn up, but I'm sure it will be a cracking game.' Saturday's other best-of-33 leg semi-final sees James Wade face Jonny Clayton.
