PDC World Matchplay- 18th-26th July 2020-Blackpool

[Gruntface]

Well done dimi. Good to see someone win who just focuses on his own game and doesn't feel like he has to play mind games. Not having a crowd clearly suits him. Everything you hear about him is positive and happy to see him realise his potential.

Cruised today.

[BlueSpark]

Cruised it quite easily really, respectful at the end, no shouting and jumping around like some other protagonists. Quite refreshing. Take note Leighton Bennett.
Speaking of which, will we hear or see much of him now the BDO majors have fallen on their arse? Let’s hope not.

[malcy93]

Cruised it quite easily really, respectful at the end, no shouting and jumping around like some other protagonists. Quite refreshing. Take note Leighton Bennett.
Speaking of which, will we hear or see much of him now the BDO majors have fallen on their arse? Let’s hope not.

Isn’t he still a few years away from minimum age for PDC Development Tour or Q-School ?

Remembered the only sponsored PDC event is that youth one sponsored by a football supporters club in 2021, so can play there.

Did he ever play JDC ?

[craigmc]

Some very good matches. Lewis and Whitlock finding some form. None of MVG Price or Wright contesting at business end and for the first time in ages 2 players who come across decent and play the game without general bellendery. I like the way most of the younger Benelux players seem intent on the game without screaming and shouting at a simple 140 etc. The dancing bit at the walk on he seems to genuinely enjoy? A bit like Wrights crab jump thing which again the crowd/viewers seem to like? Don't have a problem with stuff like that as long as good order at the oche. As a viewer can't say the crowd not being there made it less enjoyable if anything it's better.

[hamo]

fair play to Dimi, held his composure well throughout and got the job done. The lack of crowd may have worked in his favour but it is what it is and everyone had to deal with it.

[dartistik]

Did he ever play JDC ?

Yes, Leighton Bennett is a regular on the JDC tour.

Played the last event in 2018
Played all 10 events in 2019 (won 6 of them)
Played all 6 events in 2020 so far (won 1 of them)

[DavidB]

2nd biggest major apparently, barely a word on BBC website and not even on their front sports page...

[malcy93]

2nd biggest major apparently, barely a word on BBC website and not even on their front sports page...

Not hard to find
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/53547119

Think they use cookies to determine sports on your sports home page view.
Appeared on mine last night.

I guess if you only ever read football stories they won’t include in your view.

They’ve posted 1 or 2 stories a day throughout the Matchplay.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts

[Zapp Brannigan]

2nd biggest major apparently, barely a word on BBC website and not even on their front sports page...

Dimitri beating duzza was the main headline on bbc sports Saturday night

[Bomber]

2nd biggest major apparently, barely a word on BBC website and not even on their front sports page...

Dimitri beating duzza was the main headline on bbc sports Saturday night

yep, i saw that on the bbc sports headline pages and again last night when he won it

[BOOM]

Van den Bergh winning a major title before Michael Smith - you have to laugh

Not really, when has Smith ever looked close, Dimitri looked the part all week. The kid deserved it.

Smith has been highly ranked and has competed in the latter stages of plenty of major tournaments, including World, Matchplay and PL finals, and he's definitely the one player on tour who should have won something by now, he stands out like a sore thumb. I think just think it's ironic that VDB, who hasn't even been ranked in the top 20 before, has won something before him. That's all.

I've no idea what the "whoosh" thing is about either, by the way.

[1205]

Van den Bergh winning a major title before Michael Smith - you have to laugh

Not really, when has Smith ever looked close, Dimitri looked the part all week. The kid deserved it.

Smith has been highly ranked and has competed in the latter stages of plenty of major tournaments, including World, Matchplay and PL finals, and he's definitely the one player on tour who should have won something by now, he stands out like a sore thumb. I think just think it's ironic that VDB, who hasn't even been ranked in the top 20 before, has won something before him. That's all.

I've no idea what the "whoosh" thing is about either, by the way.

The whoosh was due completely to missing the point.

Personally, I feel that having Durrant and Smith as the semi-final losers to a debutant and struggling ex-Champion respectively, in a tournament where the top 4 seeds were out before the quarter-finals is a perfect summary of the kind of players they are.

[DavidB]

2nd biggest major apparently, barely a word on BBC website and not even on their front sports page...

Not hard to find
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/53547119

Think they use cookies to determine sports on your sports home page view.
Appeared on mine last night.

I guess if you only ever read football stories they won’t include in your view.

They’ve posted 1 or 2 stories a day throughout the Matchplay.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts

Is that right? So the headlines aren’t general??

[BOOM]

Van den Bergh winning a major title before Michael Smith - you have to laugh

Not really, when has Smith ever looked close, Dimitri looked the part all week. The kid deserved it.

Smith has been highly ranked and has competed in the latter stages of plenty of major tournaments, including World, Matchplay and PL finals, and he's definitely the one player on tour who should have won something by now, he stands out like a sore thumb. I think just think it's ironic that VDB, who hasn't even been ranked in the top 20 before, has won something before him. That's all.

I've no idea what the "whoosh" thing is about either, by the way.

The whoosh was due completely to missing the point.

Personally, I feel that having Durrant and Smith as the semi-final losers to a debutant and struggling ex-Champion respectively, in a tournament where the top 4 seeds were out before the quarter-finals is a perfect summary of the kind of players they are.

Fair enough, it's hard to tell what people are getting at on here sometimes.

[Bram_1900]

So what's next? The Premier League and then?

[oche balboa]

Another series of Pro Tour events i would imagine in September. Dont forget there is hardly any pro tours during the summer normally

[Bram_1900]

Another series of Pro Tour events i would imagine in September. Dont forget there is hardly any pro tours during the summer normally

I know, but there is so little space left on the calender it seems, so im curious whether they will use august for some missed challenger and development tour dates or that they will give those tours up for this year.

[malcy93]

Another series of Pro Tour events i would imagine in September. Dont forget there is hardly any pro tours during the summer normally

I know, but there is so little space left on the calender it seems, so im curious whether they will use august for some missed challenger and development tour dates or that they will give those tours up for this year.

The problem may be numbers attending. Don’t some of the Challenge Tour events have hundreds playing. Given it wouldn’t be economic to test them cam see how they could do with distancing.

Doing a block of 5 or even more PCs on successive days when only 128 players you can test before entry is much more manageable. They could also as everyone’s on site do two events a day from day 2 as start first at 9am. All the players and officials would be onsite so no reason you couldn’t start early and play until something like 10pm.

[fling]

Another series of Pro Tour events i would imagine in September. Dont forget there is hardly any pro tours during the summer normally

I know, but there is so little space left on the calender it seems, so im curious whether they will use august for some missed challenger and development tour dates or that they will give those tours up for this year.

The problem may be numbers attending. Don’t some of the Challenge Tour events have hundreds playing. Given it wouldn’t be economic to test them cam see how they could do with distancing.

Doing a block of 5 or even more PCs on successive days when only 128 players you can test before entry is much more manageable. They could also as everyone’s on site do two events a day from day 2 as start first at 9am. All the players and officials would be onsite so no reason you couldn’t start early and play until something like 10pm.

Sounds like a normal challenge tour day then.

[TheSandman]

Can’t see any challenge or development tournaments happening this year at all.

Also I can’t see how they can do Q School in January. 400+ people from all over, tested and kept in a bubble, especially when some will be idiots like that Nathan Richards fella.

Give everyone with a tour card an extra year on tour for 2021