Mardle looks ahead to World Matchplay with best ever field of competitors: "I do believe this can be the most dramatic ever"

Saturday, 15 July 2023 at 16:00

The World Matchplay gets underway tonight at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, England. Michael van Gerwen starts this PDC major as the defending champion after beating Gerwyn Price 18-14 in last year's final.

Is this the best field of competitors ever at the World Matchplay? "Yes, we get to this point in every event now about if it is the best one ever, I think it is," Wayne Mardle, a losing finalist at the World Matchplay in 2003, told Sky Sports. "There are so many possibilities when you look down the draw in the first round and work your way through. It seems impossible to fathom out. Even looking at the quality of the lesser-known players. The one we have to wax lyrical about is Josh Rock because he can beat absolutely anyone on his day."

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Anderson

Mardle highlights one match in particular. "You have Dave Chisnall vs Gary Anderson as probably the headline," he says before referencing Anderson's 2023 resurgence. "He has got this will to win seemingly again and this is a format he has loved in the past, of course winning it in 2018 and runner-up two years after that. That win in 2018 was such an amazing run and the win over Mensur Suljovic in the final, that is the best World Matchplay final I have ever seen. We know Gary has won two world titles over the set format and I like him over the leg format as well."

Also hoping to roll back the years, will be Raymond van Barneveld makes his first appearance at the World Matchplay since 2018. "Barney, he is one of my favourite players to watch still," Mardle said. "He will like the draw and, if he wins, he will have Peter Wright or Andrew Gilding."

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Winter Gardens

The venue for this tournament, the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, is regarded by many players as one of the finest venues they play in. "It really is a special venue. It is a huge event," Hawaii 501 explains. "It is rated second in the calendar behind the World Championship, or maybe third behind the Premier League, but it is a huge event and it is the connoisseur's place to go."

"It is where people have their week off work and buy a season ticket to go to every session of every day. There is no event like it and personally it is my favourite, probably behind the Circus Tavern which we haven't been to for the last decade or so, it is a special place."

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Van den Bergh

Finally, Mardle was asked who is his favorite for the final victory? "I have actually gone for Dimitri Van den Bergh to beat Michael Smith in the final, that is what I have worked it out to be. I mentioned at the World Cup that I thought Van den Bergh was absolutely incredible but what puts the cat amongst the pigeons is Michael van Gerwen's performance in Poland, that was peak MVG."

"Peak MVG beats anyone on their day. If he plays well every round he wins it. I think Van den Bergh will like his draw, he has won it before, and he reached the final the year after winning it again so I like Van den Bergh over the leg format. I think he has got a brilliant game for it and he keeps the stamina questions out of it because he likes to keep himself in check. I think over a long, gruelling week in the sun, it will do him the world of good."

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