"His body language was poor" - Vincent van der Voort found watching Raymond van Barneveld a struggle at World Matchplay

The long-anticipated first-round showdown between Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld at the 2025 World Matchplay proved more a reflection of two legends in transition than a classic encounter.

Van Gerwen progressed, but hardly with conviction. Van Barneveld, meanwhile, struggled both mentally and with his equipment. In stark contrast, Josh Rock delivered another eye-catching display in his win over Ross Smith.

“Michael really should have put the match to bed far earlier,” Vincent van der Voort commented on World Matchplay Draait Door, the darts podcast from Sportnieuws.nl. “He goes 3-1 up and then misses two chances again. It could’ve easily been 5-0, but instead it’s 4-1 at the break.”

Van Gerwen opened brightly in terms of scoring but was again let down by inconsistency on the doubles. Van Barneveld, by contrast, looked utterly lost—using an unorthodox setup that clearly didn’t suit him.

“Those first ten legs he played with darts where the weight was at the front and the shaft was heavier than usual,” Van der Voort explained. “That caused unstable flights and erratic landings. After the break, he changed his flights, and suddenly it looked much better.”

By then, though, the damage was largely done. “Raymond briefly led 4-3, but he never really looked in the match. His body language was poor. The English media were already criticising his attitude. That’s tough to see.”

Van Gerwen himself didn’t shy away from criticism afterward. “At the start of the match, I really let myself down,” he admitted. “I was sloppy, and that just shouldn’t happen. Moments like that, you start to irritate yourself.”

The three-time World Champion also expressed frustration with his opponent’s on-stage behaviour. “Raymond was puffing, coughing, and making a scene after every visit. You see him waving his arms around. I’m not blind—those little things matter in a match.”

Yet despite the drama, Van der Voort sees cause for optimism. “There’s still something there with Michael. At times, his game was solid. He just needs to find more consistency—especially with Josh Rock next, because that lad looked very sharp.”

Indeed, Rock’s performance against Ross Smith drew universal praise. “He was superb,” said analyst Arjan Vlottes. “The change in setup—new darts—worked brilliantly. They’re flying straighter into the board now, and you can see the confidence in him.”

Van der Voort went further: “He’s a serious contender for the title. He’s already won the World Cup, and I think he’s on course to earn a Premier League spot next year.”

Another intriguing first-round tie pits close friends Gian van Veen and Danny Noppert against each other. The pair know each other well from the World Cup and often practise together.

“If it’s up to me, we’ll warm up together again before the match,” Van Veen said. “We always do—it’s just normal for us.”

Van der Voort raised an eyebrow at that. “It’s unusual, for sure. But if they’re both comfortable with it, then fair enough.”

Although Noppert is seen by some as the underdog, Van der Voort warned against underestimating the 2022 UK Open champion. “People often sell Danny short. He’s here for a reason. If he hits his doubles, I give him a real chance.”

Elsewhere, Wessel Nijman’s clash with James Wade promises to be a fascinating battle of styles. “Nijman was fantastic against Aspinall,” Van der Voort noted. “But Wade’s a master of matchplay. He rarely posts the top average, but he knows exactly when to strike.”

Vlottes agreed: “Wade can afford to let a leg go and then steal one with a clinical finish. That’s pure class. But if Nijman keeps scoring well and finishing efficiently, it’ll be a very open contest.”

The emergence of Rock, Nijman and Van Veen has sparked talk of a changing of the guard. “It feels like a generational shift,” Van der Voort observed. “The young Dutch players are really impressing, while the old guard are clearly struggling.”

Still, Vlottes isn’t ready to write off Van Gerwen or Van Barneveld just yet. “Michael always has the ability to raise his game when challenged. But he needs to show that now—urgently.”