No players from top four of world rankings in World Matchplay quarter-finals for just the second time
PDCThursday, 20 July 2023 at 17:30
The whole of the top four in the world have failed to qualify for the last eight at the World Matchplay. For number three Michael van Gerwen, the curtain already fell in the first round. Michael Smith (first), Peter Wright (second) and Gerwyn Price (fourth) were eliminated in the last sixteen.
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It is only the second time in World Matchplay tournament history that the top four seedings are absent from the quarterfinals. That previously happened only during the corona edition in 2020.
The top four back then in terms of names is almost the same as now. Back then, the top four consisted of Van Gerwen, Wright, Price and Rob Cross. The first two names then were eliminated in the second round, while Price and Cross did not make it past the first round.
That the complete top four do reach the quarterfinals is not uncommon. In 1997, 1999, 2003, 2013, 2014 and 2016, the top four players on the seedings list all managed to make it to the last eight.
Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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