World Matchplay 2025
And all the rest...
The Quarterfinals
From the quarterfinals on I was in Blackpool and watched live.
James Wade had looked really strong so far on TV but during the walk-on for the quarterfinals it seem he was not really comfaortable on the night. And really it was Gian van Veen who won the first three legs of the match. Wade found an answer throwing a 180 but somehow his accuracy on the doubles was not there and the Dutchman had a 4:1 lead going into the first break. Wade looked more settled after it and he managed to draw and finally to take over the lead but nothing looked as easy and and as natural as in his first two matches. Two times he had the chance to throw a perfect leg in the match but both times he failed. Wade stayed in front for the rest of the match, sometimes took a little break in the legs he didn't have the throw and played stronger in his own trying to keep van Veen at distance. When he was 15:13 in the lead one could see Wade definitely didn't want over time and he gave it all to get over the finishing line 16:13 - it was a good match from both players but probabyly Wade's weakest of the tournament.
Totally different looked Jonny Clayton in the following quarterfinal - he looked very determined from the start. And somehow it looked like he was following a plan - he raced into a 5:0 lead playing an 110.51 average. That plan seemed to work - his opponent Stephen Bunting improved but never really recovered, ran after him but never catched him. He as well had some double trouble. Near the end both players looked tired. Clayton won 16:7.
Then the favourite Luke Littler came on stage to play against Andrew Gilding. Gilding kept up well and Littler din't really look happy. He first was only one leg ahead till he finally found another gear. At the second break Littler was 6:4 in the lead and had missed a nine-darter. The match went back and forth for some time. In the 18. Leg both players seemed not to be able to find the double. Gilding came closer. By now Littler looked a little bit worked up while Gilding couldn't help to smile each time he won a leg. First Littler drew away but then Gilding had a strong phase and hit some high finishs and suddenly it was only 14:15. Littler just managed to get over the finishing line in the next leg.
The last quarterfinal should have been another close match but Gerwyn Price from the start looked neither comfortable nor relaxed at all while Josh Rock didn't seem to feel his nerve. And so he was 6:4 in the lead at the second break and I - and probably it was not only me - started to wonder whether the Gerwyn Price from the first two matches ever would turn up. He didn't manage to though at first had the higher average and the better hiting rate on his doubles. In leg 11 Price threw a 170 finish and managed to draw but before the next break Rock was in the lead again and he stayed in the lead for the rest of the match. A probably very disappointed Price lost 11:16.
So now all semi-finalists were known - it were by the way the same as in the UK Open this year - James Wade, Jonny Clayton, Luke Littler and Josh Rock. But this time James Wade would play against Jonny Clayton and Luke Littler would play his friend Josh Rock.
Semi-Finals
The semi-finals were both great matches - and both were hard fought. While in the second match due to the from both players perfect leg - in which Littler had the throw and was the one who helped by this threw the nine-darter - World Matchplay history was written, in the first semi-final Jonny Claytons unbelievable and not to be awaited comeback and the thrilling overtime will stick in one's memory - well, and probably that Wade kneeled down before Clayton. So far I did see nothing similar on stage.
In the first semi-final James Wade and Jonny Clayton met. Wade looked much better then in the quarterfinals while I couldn't help the feeling Clayton didn't really believe in himself. Wade stormed through the first few legs and threw 180s for fun. Clayton didn't play bad either but Wade just was too much for him at that point. Wade threw a 161 finish and missed the 170. Before the first break he was 3:2 in the lead, before the second 7:3 and Clayton just didn't get chances as Wade threw high scores all the time. In Leg 12 Clayton threw a 161 finsih of his own. Wade finally weakened a little bit and Clayton started to fight and battle and somehow managed to draw 16:16. Then it was 17:17, then 18:18 and both players looked tired and were no longer as clinical on their doubles. Wade somehow managed to scrape together two legs in a row and won 20:18.
In the second semifinal Luke Littler met Josh Rock and Littler had a really bad start into the match while Rock looked relaxed and full of energy. He stormed into a five led lead before the first break though in the fifth leg he wobbled a bit on his doubles for the first time. After the break Littler finally managed to win his first leg and after that a history making second leg. Littler had the throw and threw a 180. Rock answered with an 180 of his own. Littler threw his second 180 and again Rock answered with one of his own. It was not the first time in the tournament Littler had the chance to throw a nine-darter but that both players had the chance in the same leg was exceptional. Littler had the throw and used the chance this time. No one of course can answer the question whether Rock would have used it as well. Nevertheless Rock went into the second break with a 7:3 lead - especially because Littler's double trouble continued. Rock still was in the front at the third break but Littler started to hit his doubles better, finally hit a bullseye he was aiming at. It was Rock who weakened a little bit now, Littler managed to draw 9:9 and for the first time got the lead. Now that Littler finally had the momentum one couldn't stop him. Rock managed to fight back to 14:16 but in the next leg Littler won the match.
And as in the final of the UK Open this year James Wade and Luke Littler would clash. Though it definitely looked Wade was in better form Littler of course went into the match as the favourite.
The Final
Similar to the semi- finals Littler had a rather slow start into the match and again he had some double trouble as well. Wade had a 5:0 lead before the first break. After that a completely different Littler turned up and won the second session 5:0 Wade didn't give in - seemingly unimpressed he battled on and got the lead back at 11:9. Littler once again found another gear though by now both players were no longer clinical on their doubles and Wade missed his chance to draw 12:12. That probably was crucial as after that Wade managed to win only two more legs while Littler threw a host of 180s and won the in the end a little bit one-sided final 18:13.
Bottom Line
A tournament which was really won by the favourit and that deservedly and in the end unthreatened. Only against Jermaine Wattimena and probably against Andrew Gilding Littler worked up a sweat. It showed as well that Littler probably only could be cracked over his problems with the doubles when he is in this form. At the moment only very few players can keep up to his scoring and hitting of 180s.Despite Littler's dominance it was not a boring tournament - beside Littler other players showed outstanding performances as well - especially the other quarterfinalists Rock, Clayton and Wade, But Gilding and Price impressed as well. We did see some bitter first round exits - especially Humphries and Aspinall. We see how they will fare in the next few months. The German players still don't get a grip on the World Matchplay. Of course it is good that two managed to qualifiy as it happend now every year since 2022. But only Max Hopp (2019) and Gabriel Clemens (2020) so far won a match in the Winter Gardens.
Pictures with kind allowance of the PDC