"A possible winner of everything and anything": Don't write off Gian van Veen says Wayne Mardle in Luke Humphries World Matchplay fight

The World Matchplay kicks off tonight and Wayne Mardle and John Part were in the Sky Sports studio to run the rule over some of the main talking points as the Winter Gardens welcomes back the defending champion Luke Humphries tonight.

But the message from Mardle is despite seeing Humphries as the likely contender to go back-to-back, don't write Gian van Veen off. The Dutchman has rose through the ranks and become one of the hottest darting properties in the world.

Mardle doesn't see him being a one-hit wonder either when he finally gets over the line and sees it as being a game that could be close and oozes real quality on the Winter Gardens stage.

He also isn't ruling out Michael van Gerwen returning to his sterling best as he faces Raymond van Barneveld in a tie he said has intrigue when they are both at their best no mind 2025.

"We don't know what we're going to get from Michael (van Gerwen), I wouldn't rule out another massive run like last year. But it has to be Gian van Veen v Luke Humphries. It's going to ooze quality," said Mardle on Sky Sports.

"But let's get it right Gian van Veen is a possible winner of anything and everything. He's so good, when he crosses the line in a big one once I don't see it as being a one hit wonder. If Luke Humphries can get rid of him, his shoulders will go back and he will be hard to beat."

"I really do fancy Luke Humphries to retain here. Every single day of the year he's so tough to beat. Even when he's off, he's never off. He's still very good. Last year, Michael took him the whole way. He averaged five ton plus averages, that's how consistent you have to be to win this."

While John Part is looking the direction of Gerwyn Price to lead the way especially given that he has been in demon like form as of late.

He won the Baltic Sea Darts Open last weekend with a stoic man on a mission type demeanour. But Part sees it as being one of the three.

"I'm looking in the Welsh direction. He's the hot hand (Price), he's winning tournaments he's confident. He's in the bottom half with Luke Littler but they have equal records. He's got as much chance of dealing with Littler as anybody. Certainly both Luke's are outstanding and they will feel it's their tournament to win."

"It's going to take something catastrophic to stop that happening for one of those three."