Gian van Veen fought his way into a semi‑final clash 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 tide turned when Wade, trailing 11‑7, launched a remarkable run of four straight legs to level the scoreline. From that point onward the quality of play surged, with both men hitting numerous 100+ checkouts.
Van Veen, whose overall average for the night was a modest 93, managed to quiet the crowd’s disapproval by clinching the final two legs and booking his first ever appearance in the tournament’s last four. The world No.3 will now have to raise his game for the semi‑final against Price, who posted a 102.78 average and delivered ten 180s in his 16‑12 quarter‑final win over Ross Smith.
Price had surrendered a 12‑8 lead before rattling off four consecutive legs to force a deciding session, earning his first World Matchplay semi‑final since 2022. The other semi‑final will see defending champion Luke Littler take on Dirk van Duijvenbode, who also reached the last four for the first time. Price’s run to the semi‑final marks his fourth televised semi‑final of the season, following strong performances at the World Masters, UK Open and Premier League.
In his quarter‑final with Smith, Price started strongly, taking the first three legs with the throw and hitting a 117 finish to hold his throw in the second leg. He then produced a three‑leg streak before Smith responded with a rare 12‑dart finish. Smith kept the match competitive, taking a 100 checkout to avoid falling 8‑5 down and later missing a chance to level the score.
Price, however, kept the pressure on, breaking back with a 13‑dart finish and a 121 checkout, before sealing the win with a 14‑dart finish. After the match Price said, “Ross played a decent game as well, so it’s nice to play well when someone else is playing well.
It gives you confidence going into the next round. When he got back to 12‑12 I thought ‘here we go again’, but I rode four legs on the bounce. The 91 double‑double got the blood boiling. I’m thankful I played pretty decent tonight.” Van Veen’s quarter‑final against Wade was a slower‑moving affair in the early stages, with both players averaging around 90.
Van Veen opened the third interval with a stunning 160 checkout to go 9‑6 up. He missed a few darts that could have extended his lead, but recovered by taking the next two legs to move to 11‑7. Wade then sparked a comeback, first with a 79 finish on the bull and then a 121 finish to hold his throw for a fourth consecutive leg, bringing the match to 12‑12.
Van Veen answered with an 118 checkout, securing back‑to‑back legs and putting himself within one leg of victory. Wade responded with a 121 finish to break back, but Van Veen closed the encounter with a 75 checkout and a flawless 13‑dart finish, moving one win away from a potential rise to world No.2. 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 – 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 played as best‑of‑33 legs to decide who will contest the Sunday best‑of‑35 final.
Defending champion Luke Littler will attempt to retain his title against Dirk van Duijvenbode, while Gerwyn Price prepares to meet the in‑form Gian van Veen. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning at 7:30 pm on Sky Sports Action and around 9:00 pm on Sky Sports Main Event, and stream the matches via NOW.