Cameron Menzies withdraws from World Matchplay contest against Ross Smith as he receives medical attention
PDCWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 21:25
Three legs into the opening match of the night in the World Matchplay, Cameron Menzies has been forced off stage with a medical problem aided by his opponent Ross Smith.
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The match started with a bang after Smith broke the throw with a 11-dart break. Menzies broke back before taking a 2-1 lead with the first hold of throw of the match.
Then, Menzies was in trouble. In the fourth leg, he stopped playing halted in front of the referees, seemingly struggling. Smith immediately went over to him to see if he was ok before helping him gingerly limped off.
The darts was not important in this moment in time. Menzies would go on to receive immediate medical treatment and would pull out of the World Matchplay. He began by defeating Luke Humphries in the first round with a very impressive showing with a 170 checkout, but his run ends here in unforeseen circumstances.
A statement was released by the PDC: "Cameron Menzies was taken ill during his round two match against Ross Smith at the Betfred World Matchplay on Wednesday evening. Cameron experienced high blood pressure, which caused him to feel dizzy and subsequently faint.
"Following an assessment by the on-site medical team, Cameron was deemed well-enough to return to his accommodation. We wish Cameron all the best and look forward to seeing him back in action soon."
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UPDATE: Play has been suspended in the fourth leg with Cameron Menzies leaving the stage to receive medical attention.
— Live Darts (@livedarts) July 22, 2026
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Smith will advance into the next round with Gian van Veen and Wessel Nijman next on stage.
Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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