Gian van Veen fought his way into a semi‑final encounter with Gerwyn Price at the World Matchplay after a dramatic 16‑13 victory over James Wade in Blackpool. The opening half of the match was far from spectacular for either competitor, but the quarter‑final truly ignited when Wade, trailing 11‑7, produced a run of four successive legs to level the scoreline.
From that point onward the quality of play rose sharply, with both men hitting checkouts that exceeded 100 points. Van Veen, whose overall average for the night was a modest 93, managed to silence the occasional boos from the crowd by clinching the final two legs, thereby booking his first ever appearance in the tournament’s last four. The world number three will now have to raise his game in the semi‑final against Price, who posted a 102.78 average and recorded ten 180s in his 16‑12 triumph over Ross Smith earlier in the quarter‑finals.
Price had to recover from a 12‑8 lead that slipped away, but he responded with a streak of four straight legs to secure his first World Matchplay semi‑final since 2022. The other semi‑final on Saturday will see defending champion Luke Littler take on Dirk van Duijvenbode, who also reached the last four for the first time at this event. Price’s run to the semi‑final marks his fourth televised semi‑final of the season, following appearances at the World Masters, the UK Open and the Premier League. His late‑stage scoring surge was crucial in overcoming Smith.
The first three legs of that match went with the throw, after which Price hit a 117 checkout to hold in the second leg and then produced a three‑leg burst from the fourth leg onward. Smith answered with a 12‑dart finish, but Price kept the pressure on, eventually pulling ahead. Smith tried to stay in the contest, taking out a 100 checkout to avoid falling further behind at 8‑5, and later missed a chance to level the match.
The Welshman managed a third break, giving him a three‑leg advantage. Both players continued to exchange breaks of throw, and Price edged ahead in a fourth consecutive session. Smith responded with a 68 checkout followed by a 13‑dart finish during a four‑leg swing that brought the scores level again.
Price then struck back with a 13‑dart finish and a 121 checkout that included a bullseye, while the former world number one, Gerwyn Price, hit a 91 finish to secure an 11‑dart break and closed the leg with a 14‑dart finish. After the match, Price told Sky Sports, “Ross played a decent game as well, so it’s nice to play well when someone else is playing well.
It gives you a bit of confidence going into the next round. When he got back to 12‑12 I thought ‘here we go again’, but I rode off four legs on the bounce.
The 91 double‑double got the blood boiling. I’m thankful I played pretty decent tonight.” The quarter‑final between Van Veen and Wade was slower in the second half, with both players averaging around 90 in the early mini‑sessions. Van Veen produced a spectacular 160 checkout to go 9‑6 up at the third interval. He missed a few darts that could have extended his lead, but he recovered in the next two legs to move to 11‑7.
Wade then sparked a comeback, taking out a 79 finish on the bullseye and winning the next leg. He followed that with a 121 finish on the bullseye and held his throw for a fourth straight leg, tying the match at 12‑12. Van Veen then hit a 118 checkout to claim the second of two consecutive legs, while Wade answered with a 121 finish to break back. Van Veen sealed the match by hitting a 75 checkout, bringing him within a leg of victory, and then closed out with a flawless 13‑dart finish, moving one win away from a possible rise to world number two.
Reflecting on his performance, Van Veen told Sky Sports, “It felt very poor! My scoring was so terrible. I was lucky James wasn’t scoring as well and my finishing got me through. A win is a win.
The 118 finish was crucial – I really needed it. It was a tight battle but I’m glad I got the job done. Hopefully tomorrow I will be a lot better.” The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay continues at the iconic Winter Gardens, with the two semi‑finals being contested over a best‑of‑33 format to determine who will advance to the Sunday best‑of‑35 final.
Defending champion Luke Littler will attempt to retain his title when he meets Dirk van Duijvenbode, who has reached the last four for the first time at this venue. Meanwhile, Gerwyn Price will face Gian van Veen in the first semi‑final. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 7:30 pm on Sky Sports Action and around 9:00 pm on Sky Sports Main Event. The tournament also streams via NOW, offering viewers the chance to watch darts and other top‑level sport without a traditional contract.
The excitement in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens shows no signs of waning as the remaining players vie for the coveted World Matchplay trophy.