World Matchplay Day 4 Tips: Rockstar to dump out favourite

Abigail Davies
20 July 2022
2:00 min read

Cullen fired up and could catch MvG cold

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The first round of action at the World Matchplay served up plenty of drama, a number of upsets and plenty of seeds tumbling over the opening three nights

"With a 71.4% checkout percentage, The Dream Maker was more clinical on the outer ring than any other player in the opening round."

Michael van Gerwen was far from his best against Adrian Lewis but remains favourite to win the title at 5.59/2 with Gerwyn Price at 6.511/2 to win this event for the first time.

Cullen could cull the number four seed

Michael van Gerwen takes on a rather fired up Joe Cullen to round off Tuesday evening's session and I think The Rockstar could come through this one.

MvG is feeling under the weather, he has only played two games since returning from wrist surgery and his opening round performance against Adrian Lewis won't have been overly encouraging, as The Green Machine just about found a way to win despite missing 13 darts at double and looking incredibly uncomfortable up on stage.

As for Cullen, he's fired up after many people discounted his chances of getting through his opener against Damon Heta - something he said he used as motivation to get through that match.

He likes to prove people wrong and he certainly laid down a marker. He's 2.4529/20 to come through and that's where my money will be on Tuesday evening.

Dimi to deny RJR a place in the third round

Jonny Clayton was the first seed to fall as he was dispatched by an incredibly confident and assured debut performance from Rowby-John Rodriguez on the opening night.

The Austrian impressively muscled his way into a Matchplay spot over recent weeks and is oozing confidence at the moment.

He's a player who is certainly partial to putting on a show but he also has the game to back up the showmanship.

Speaking to him after the match, he said he's learnt a lot since losing from 4-0 up to Luke Humphries in the final of a recent Euro Tour event, while he now tries not to let missed darts at double or what his opponent is doing impact his own game.

His opponent in the second round is Dimitri Van den Bergh, a player who has tasted success and lifted the Phil Power trophy but not on the Winter Gardens stage.

The Belgian was triumphant when the tournament was played behind closed doors but when the second biggest tournament of the year did return to its rightful home, he backed up that win with a sublime run to the final.

dimi vdb.jpg

As he looks to win this tournament for the second time in three years, he could not have got off to a much better start, maintaining a laser like focus throughout and delivered a professional performance.

With a 71.4% checkout percentage, The Dream Maker was more clinical on the outer ring than any other player in the opening round. At at boosted 3.02/1, I'm backing him to complete the match treble of win, hit the most 180s and complete highest checkout.