"I don't care what Michael van Gerwen says, Humphries says": Josh Rock possesses biggest hunger to clinch World Matchplay crown

While not exactly a riproaring start to this year's World Matchplay, Josh Rock managed to win through 10-4 against a pretty tough test on paper in Luke Woodhouse.

There are no easy draws in the World Matchplay as Rock himself will know and especially Woodhouse who is one of the best players in the world this year when it comes to overall form, titles and came into Blackpool at his best.

While Rock had a dismal Premier League campaign, and while he has shown green shoots since then, perhaps it was a seed to be got at. He joked about his display afterwards, speaking to the media, including DartsNews, but admitted that opening up the tournament perhaps played a part.

"Dreadful, I'm only joking. Listen, Luke and I did not play our best whatsoever, but I think maybe the problem was obviously being the opening game. Luke's been playing absolutely fantastic this year, winning the European Tour and winning the ProTour and I told him and he backed me up on this," he said to the media including DartsNews.com.

"I said, see when you win your first, you win more and he won his first ProTour and then he goes the next week and wins the European. But obviously being the first game opening the Matchplay, it's not easy. I was dreadful and he didn't cope with the occasion at all, which I do apologise for on his behalf, but I'm very happy with the win and I'm still in this tournament.

Rock admitted to dreading the draw when it came down to it due to how well Woodhouse had been playing. But he said that in reality he just did what he needed to, which was hit the doubles and get out of there.

"Of course it was because of his form. Whenever the draw came out I was like, oh dear, here we go. I knew I had to be on top of my game, he sadly wasn't but when it comes up to the occasion, when it comes to the doubles, I hit the doubles and that's all that matters."

Rock though also despite never winning a major outside the World Cup admitted that he is chomping at the bit to win this title and said that he wants it more than MVG, Humphries "Massively, I want to win this title more than anybody in that back room. I don't care what Michael van Gerwen says, Humphries says, I want to win this Phil Taylor Trophy more than anybody else in that back room."

Asked if there is added pressure opening up the World Matchplay, he saw it as perhaps the gift of being in such a thrilling game with Luke Littler last year in the semi-finals. But that he was just glad to avert the pressure.

"Probably, I don't know, obviously it's the first time, I don't know of my career, I think it's the first time I've opened up a major, I don't know but yeah it probably was after obviously the good year I had last year, the semi-final with Luke which was obviously a remarkable semi-final with Luke so maybe, well I didn't really look at it that way but it probably was a bit of added pressure but I'm just happy, obviously the first leg he missed doubles and I hit the double top first dart straight away and it gave me the confidence for the whole game."

He shared his love for Blackpool as well as his laidback nature admitting that nothing massively phases him when it comes to winning 10-0 or losing 10-0 and that he will always bounce back after a turbulent Premier League campaign.

"The Winter Gardens is the best venue in Darts and I don't care if I'm 10-10 or whatever, the Winter Gardens when it comes to Darts fans and Darts in general is the best venue, I love this place."

"You've known me the last nearly four and a half years, five years, stuff doesn't bother me, I'm the most easy-going person in the world and I just love playing Darts so if I get beat 10-0 I get beat 10-0 but it's not going to affect me at all, I just love playing Darts."

He continued to touch upon that Premier League campaign and also his year in general saying that he saw it more as an experience than something to dwell negatively on and he said that he hasn't had too much of a disappointing year when he thinks about it in hindsight.

"Yeah it didn't affect me at all obviously, the Premier League was very disappointing obviously, I probably came last, it doesn't bother me at all, I had the problems you've had in the Premier League for 2026 and obviously hopefully next year being for 2027, you know, doesn't affect me at all, I'm just very happy to be a part of the Darts."

"The Masters was the first tournament, I got a quarter-final and then the UK Open I got a semi-final, again back to back so I don't think it's been disappointing obviously, the only problem was obviously the Premier League campaign but obviously first time there I probably should have been up more for the occasion but I still enjoyed the Premier League regardless where I came because it was one of the best experiences of my entire life.

"I'm feeling better coming here because the first two years I've played here in the Matchplay I've never even won a game and it's my third year I came here and got to the semi-finals so I know what I'm going to do in these days and I'm here to prove it."

He also touched upon his weight loss, with Rock being a lot more slender, and how it has both helped him and is also something he needs to get used to. "I don't know, obviously I've had the weight loss, I went from 18 and a half stone to 15 stone, it's probably a massive thing in my game at the minute, obviously getting used to the balance but I seem to be managing it okay at the minute so we'll see what happens