The PDC World Matchplay 2020 quarter-finals begin with one massive question mark hovering: who's the favourite?

Is it perhaps Glen Durrant? The three-time world champion set tongues wagging by sending Peter Wright home, after Vincent van der Voort saw off seventh seed Daryl Gurney. Dimitri van den Bergh continues his charge, and Adrian Lewis is in ominous form. More on them tomorrow. For now, we have four players hoping to book a World Matchplay semi-final berth.

This feels like a watershed moment in Krzysztof Ratajski's PDC career. Sure, his ascent is no surprise, with floor titles and one European Tour already bagged. But to become a major contender is another thing entirely, and the Polish Eagle is doing it in style here. Ratajski has been in just one major quarter-final previously, at the World Masters in 2017. He went on and won it.

His Last 16 triumph over Gabriel Clemens bore none of the eyebrow-raising hallmarks of that opening annihilation of Jermaine Wattimena. But what it did show, bar a slip near the end, was Ratajski's ability to dominate on throw with stoic consistency. It makes him a nightmare to face, with opponents having to scramble to hold throw against a player who is steady in every regard. Nerves will play a part - these are untested waters - but Ratajski won't be heavily fazed.

Michael Smith's a player who's been struck by the jitters many a time - but he may feel like the stars are aligning for him here. First fell the man who denied him in last year's World Matchplay final, who could've faced him here. He was joined by the world number one, who denied him the World Championship and Premier League, and was a prospective semi-final opponent. His conqueror in the World Series of Darts Finals departed too. And now the man who grabbed the Masters crown away from him is gone as well.

This might be Smith's breakthrough opportunity, as the UK Open was for Peter Wright back in 2017. The St Helens ace's two wins - a fluid thrashing of Jonny Clayton and a nervy thriller against Mensur Suljovic - will have given him confidence in very different ways. If the chips are down against Ratajski, there's more of a feeling now that Smith can fight his way back. This absolutely isn't an opportunity he'll want to miss.

Whitlock v Anderson

Gary Anderson represents the status quo, a bastion of stability in a tournament which has been turned on its head. The Flying Scotsman is the only World Matchplay winner left in the mix, and - bar Adrian Lewis - is the only one to have won a major title in the PDC (the World Youth Championship notwithstanding). He's flown under the radar as well, beating Justin Pipe and James Wade in ways that won't make headlines, but also won't have caused the Scot any stress.

The thing is; Anderson's not playing massively well, is he? He could easily come out and post a massive average in this quarter-final, but while he's the favourite in terms of his experience and winning pedigree, it's easy to point out players who are in better form. But the Scot knows how to win games, and when he's focused, the inner and outer rings both take a pummelling.

Simon Whitlock won't be worried, however. Why should he be? The Wizard has just dispatched Michael van Gerwen with the same ease and confidence that the Dutchman displayed when giving him the boot in their previous 15 meetings. With a massive albatross off his back, Whitlock has an eye on a first major semi-final in six years. Incidentally, that was also in the World Matchplay.

While van Gerwen didn't play well in their Last 16 tussle, what's worth mentioning is that Whitlock increased his average from the first round by a little over eight points. To paraphrase the man himself, he played the board, and not the man. It's the right approach when playing van Gerwen, and it's the right approach when playing Anderson. Both play at a speed which complements the other. 180s should be in bountiful supply for this quarter-final. Chances of Anderson having issues with Whitlock's points (and their effect on the board) must be at least 50/50.

Click here for more information about the World Matchplay, including the tournament bracket, TV coverage and prize money breakdown.

Schedule World Matchplay 2020

Quarter-Finals
Thursday July 23

19:10 Krzysztof Ratajski v Michael Smith
20:45 Simon Whitlock v Gary Anderson

Friday July 24

19:15 Adrian Lewis v Dimitri van den Bergh
20:45 Glen Durrant v Vincent van der Voort