Schedule and preview Saturday evening session 2022 World Matchplay including Wright, Van den Bergh and Clayton
PDC
The World Matchplay is back with the first action at the prestigious Winter Gardens set for Saturday night featuring the defending champion, Peter Wright who will kick off his campaign against Madars Razma.
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It has been a barren year for 'Snakebite' since winning his World title but as ever, the switch is always there for Wright to turn on and produce his best as last year's tournament showed as he gave one of the most unstoppable runs in World Matchplay history.
In Razma, who will make his debutant, the Latvian will aim to act as a spoiler and cause an opening night shock. As ever watch out for his Treble 19 hitting and over the shorter format early, he could cause some problems.
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The same can be said for another debutant in Rowby-John Rodriguez who started the year at Q-School sleeping while droves of match darts from Dragutin Horvat were missed which handed him his Tour Card.
Since then, he has kicked on like last season when he didn't have a Tour Card and so much so that he has managed to qualify after only seven months on the tour for his debut in Blackpool.
One of the main factors in that qualification was his run to the final of the European Darts Matchplay in Trier where he lost to Luke Humphries albeit missing a match dart in one of the best finals seen on the European Tour.
He faces Jonny Clayton who like Wright has fallen slightly off the back of success albeit reaching a ProTour final last weekend could show that he is playing some good darts again, it will be another to potentially add to the upset pile if 'Little John' can produce?
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Dimitri van den Bergh will look to go one better than last year when he starts against Callan Rydz after reaching the final and losing to the unplayable Peter Wright.
A previous champion albeit not in Blackpool, Van den Bergh has won multiple World Series titles in the past few months and has kicked into gear again at the right time in his quest to win a second World Matchplay.
In Rydz, he is a former Quarter-Finalist on debut last time out but hasn't really hit the heights both on TV and on the tour since his breakout.
While starting the night is Krzysztof Ratajski facing Stephen Bunting, the former a semi-finalist in 2021 and both will look to kick on once more.
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Saturday July 16 (1900 BST)
4x First Round
Krzysztof Ratajski v Stephen Bunting
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Callan Rydz
Peter Wright v Madars Razma
Jonny Clayton v Rowby-John Rodriguez

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- He produced some impressive numbers in that qualifying campaign. I'm excited to see him compete at the World Championship once again, even if it will be difficult to replicate last year's success even with an improved performance, with the draw playing a huge role in determining his fortunes.Deduce635811-11-2026
- I often think about this very question. I think they should revive the format. They could even invite representatives from MODUS Super Series, with four series winners from the past year, and the ADC, with finalists from the Global Championship and perhaps other events. Why not throw in eligible representatives from the JDC and even the soft-tip game too?Deduce635811-11-2026
- So what if littler missed out, he doesnt have to enter everythingant10-11-2026
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026







