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 on the Blackpool stage. The opening half of the encounter was far from spectacular for either competitor, but the quarter‑final truly ignited when Wade, trailing 11‑7, produced a remarkable run of four straight legs to level the scoreline. From that point on, the quality of play surged as both men began to hit high‑scoring checkouts, each posting finishes that topped 100 points. Despite averaging only 93 points per visit, Van Veen managed to quiet the disapproving crowd by clinching the final two legs, sealing his place in the last four for the first time in his career.
Looking ahead, the world number three will need to raise his game against a in‑form Price, who posted a 102.78 average and recorded ten 180s during his 16‑12 win over Ross Smith in the preceding quarter‑final. Price had been ahead 12‑8 before slipping back, but he responded with a four‑leg streak that propelled him into 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 inaugural time at this tournament. Price’s route to the semi‑final has been impressive, marking his fourth televised semi‑final of the season after strong performances at the World Masters, the UK Open and the Premier League. In his match against Smith, Price opened with three legs on his throw, then hit a 117 finish to hold his throw in the second leg and followed that with a three‑leg surge. Smith answered with a perfect 12‑dart leg, but Price continued his dominance, eventually sealing the win with a 14‑dart finish.
After the match, Price told Sky Sports, "Ross played a decent game, so it’s nice to be on form when your opponent is also 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 off four legs on the bounce.
The 91 double‑double got the blood boiling. I’m thankful I played pretty decent tonight." The Van Veen‑Wade quarter‑final was slower‑moving at first, with both players averaging around 90 during the early mini‑sessions. Van Veen sparked the action at the third interval by hitting a 160 checkout to go 9‑6 up. He missed a few darts that could have extended his lead, but recovered in the following two legs to reach an 11‑7 advantage.
Wade then launched a comeback, starting with a 79 finish on the bullseye, followed by a 121 finish that allowed him to hold his throw for a fourth consecutive leg, tying the match at 12‑12. Van Veen answered with a 118 checkout to claim the next two legs, putting himself within one leg of victory. Wade fought back with a 121 finish to break Van Veen’s momentum, but the Dutchman responded with a 75 checkout and then a flawless 13‑dart leg to clinch the match, moving one step closer to a potential world number two ranking. After the win, Van Veen admitted to Sky Sports, "My scoring was terrible – I felt very poor.
I was lucky James wasn’t scoring as well and my finishing carried 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 scheduled as best‑of‑33 legs to decide who will contest the best‑of‑35 final on Sunday.
Defending champion Luke Littler aims to retain his title against Dirk van Duijvenbode, while Gerwyn Price prepares to meet Gian van Veen in the first semi‑final. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m.
on Sky Sports Action and around 9 p.m. on Sky Sports Main Event, or stream the matches via NOW. The tournament promises high‑stakes darts, dramatic finishes, and the chance for new champions to emerge in a sport where precision and composure are everything.