Qualifying race for World Matchplay 2023: Van Barneveld close to securing Winter Gardens return

Monday, 26 June 2023 at 14:30

The World Matchplay is the next big ranking tournament coming up. The event is traditionally played in July and is also known as the Summer World Championship. The Winter Gardens in Blackpool will host this tournament from 15 to 23 July.

Meanwhile, it's just a couple weeks until the cut-off, which has been set by the PDC on 9 July. Until then, only one more tournaments will be played that count towards the qualification race for the 2023 World Matchplay. This is the European Darts Matchplay in Trier from June 30 till July 2.

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The field of participants for the World Matchplay consists of 32 players. First, the top-16 of the PDC Order of Merit will receive an invitation. The top half of the draw will be headed up by the likes of Michael Smith. Number four Gerwyn Price will also feature in his side of the tournament schedule.

Peter Wright and Michael van Gerwen come into the bottom half of play, but both players could still switch quarters as the difference between Wright and Van Gerwen is only £16.000

Danny Noppert is currently seeded eighth, but can still lose that spot to Nathan Aspinall. However, 'the Freeze' is going to end up in Smith's quarter anyway, as the number one gets the numbers eight and nine both in his section of the draw. Dirk van Duijvenbode will be the 11th seed at the World Matchplay. That means he will end up in the number six and three quarter, currently Luke Humphries and Van Gerwen respectively.

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James Wade is currently number 16 on the ranking list but has Ross Smith close behind. Jose de Sousa could also theoretically still overtake 'The Machine', but needs to win the next European Tour event. However, Smith and De Sousa qualify through the Pro Tour rankings anyway.

Because the top-16 of the yearly Pro Tour rankings may also compete in Blackpool. This list is headed by Josh Rock, who makes his debut at the Winter Gardens. Mike de Decker will also make his debut at the prestigious summer tournament. 'The Real Deal' is the second Belgian entrant this year alongside Dimitri van den Bergh. Kim Huybrechts can still join his compatriots. The two-time major-finalist is virtually seeded, but is not yet sure of qualification.

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The experienced trio Gary Anderson, Steve Beaton and Raymond van Barneveld are in slightly better shape and look set to qualify for the World Matchplay via the Pro Tour rankings. For Beaton, it would be his first participation since 2020.

Van Barneveld last played in Blackpool in 2018. He failed to qualify in 2019 and subsequently 'Barney' retired after that season. However, the five-time world champion returned to the PDC Tour in 2021, but that did not lead to qualification for this tournament in the past two seasons. So at the third attempt since his return, it may well be a hit.

The defending champion at the World Matchplay is Van Gerwen. He won the tournament last year for the third time in his career after an 18-14 victory over Price.