The 2025 Betfred World Matchplay continues with a double session on day 2.
Damon Heta has been inconsistent at times this season, which is unlike him. However, the Aussie arrives in Blackpool full of confidence after winning PC20 two weeks prior. Heta will be making his 5th appearance at the World Matchplay today, and surprisingly, he has lost in the first round in three of his four appearances.
Andrew Gilding has played some great stuff in 2025, highlighted by four semi-finals in Players Championship events. He also had a great run to the final of the European Darts Grand Prix in May, and after a quarter-final here last year, he could cause a shock this afternoon.
Damon Heta has to be careful today and will need to come out concentrated and consistent. If he fails to do that, Gilding could well grind the Aussie down. For me, though, I think Heta is due a big run in a major tournament, and he can thrive off the unique Winter Gardens atmosphere.
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Rob Cross started 2025 in blistering form, but has tailed off quite dramatically over the past few months. A poor end to his Premier League campaign saw him finish 7th, and a 6-0 whitewash defeat against Danny Lauby in the US Masters first round highlights how poorly he is playing.
Dirk van Duijvenbode continues to make strides during his comeback from injury and looks dangerous again. His scoring power looks to have returned, and as soon as he gains his confidence again on the big stage, he will be back in the top 16 in the world in no time.
Cross is so experienced on TV, but even after winning this event in 2019, he has a poor record in Blackpool and has failed to progress past the 2nd round six times in eight appearances.
Van Duijvenbode looks hungry again after returning from injury, and he'll know in the back of his mind that Cross is struggling, so I expect the big Dutchman to take full advantage of that this afternoon.
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Just by looking at stats alone, rather than results, it's obvious that Peter Wright isn't as consistent as he used to be, highlighted by his seasonal average of around 90. He has shown glimpses of form, but it's hard to think he will ever reach the heights of his peak again.
Jermaine Wattimena showed such promise in 2024 with a blistering season, and most expected him to push on from there, but it hasn't quite happened in 2025. He's always struggled to keep momentum going, maybe because he seems to be quite hard on himself during matches.
It's clear to see that Wattimena is playing better than Snakebite right now, but I find it so difficult to dismiss the Scot, especially after three quarter-finals on the European Tour this season.
As I always mention with Peter Wright, it all comes down to his choice of setup. That was key in his World Championship run, and if he chooses the right setup today, he still has enough class to come through a tight contest here.
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Dave Chisnall has had a tough six months and has failed to get past the 4th round in 18 of the 21 Players Championship events he's played in. Equally, he has struggled on the European Tour, with one quarter-final in 9 tournaments.
Things will have to change quickly if Chizzy is to regain his form, and the World Matchplay hasn't been a happy hunting ground for him over the last 6 years, as he has failed to progress past the 2nd round.
Mike de Decker has struggled to get over being left out of the 2025 Premier League, and it's affected his overall form dramatically. He does come here with a bit of confidence, though, after two quarter-final runs in his last four Players Championship appearances.
This sport has always been about momentum, and at the moment, Chizzy has none. This has highlighted the snatch in his throw and in turn, has halted his famous scoring power. For that reason, I'm siding with the Belgian to win and outscore Chisnall today.
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James is a former professional dart player who enjoys writing about darts, golf and football. In 2012, he was crowned the PDC World Youth Champion and these days, he puts his expertise to use with betting tips for BettingLounge readers.