"One of those nights when you can definitely beat Gerwyn Price, and maybe you even have to": Missed opportunity for Martin Schindler, remains winless at World Matchplay

Martin Schindler still hasn’t broken his curse at the World Matchplay 2026. The German top player squandered a comfortable lead against Gerwyn Price on Monday evening in Blackpool and lost his opener 11-9 after extra legs. Germany is still waiting for a second win at the Winter Gardens since Max Hopp’s victory in 2019.

Schindler made a dream start and raced 4-0 ahead. A break on double 20 set the tone, a 98 checkout and a sharp 50 finish extended the lead. “The Wall” initially kept the pressure on and moved 5-2 in front with a 66 checkout.

For long stretches, Price couldn’t get a grip on his game and hovered for a long time with an average below 90. Even so, the Welshman pounced on every opening and eventually levelled at 8-8. A hit on double 6 then gave the former world champion his first lead of the match.

Schindler showed nerve in this phase and forced extra legs with a superb 121 checkout for 9-9. Price, however, kept control in overtime: Finishes of 57 and 100 sealed the contest, and he advanced to the last 16 with an 11-9 legs win.

Elmar Paulke, DAZN commentator and long-time figure in the German darts scene, summed up the match on the “Game On” podcast as follows: “It was really one of those nights when you can definitely beat Gerwyn Price, and maybe you even have to.” He pointed to the 4-0 and 8-5 scorelines from Schindler’s perspective and stressed how long Price had battled with an average below 90 for large parts of the match.

For Schindler, the defeat marks a fifth straight first-round exit at the World Matchplay. In all five Blackpool appearances, the Berliner has gone out immediately. Florian Hempel, former Tour Card holder and currently inactive due to back problems, captured the disappointment on the podcast: “Bloody hell, yeah. I think that’s the final word on it, because he really had it well under control.” He also mentioned the match-saving 121 finish for 9-9 and praised how hard Schindler made Price work, while noting he couldn’t find the required consistency over the full distance.

Paulke also raised an issue beyond the sporting setback: reactions on social media. “I got messages too; there was a lot of hate on social media towards Martin again,” the commentator reported, adding that Schindler apparently now knows how to handle it. He was still more forthright later: “It’s awful, it’s terrible, it’s s***, but that’s apparently just the times we live in.”

The match sparked debate beyond the numbers. After sealing the win with the final checkout, Price celebrated loudly as usual and kept seeking eye contact with his German opponent. At the closing handshake, the tension between the two was palpable, which is hardly surprising after such a fierce battle.

Gerwyn Price moves on after his narrow escape: In the last 16, the Welshman will face Rob Cross, who later in the evening cruised past Danny Noppert 10-3.