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The World Matchplay is just a couple of days away.
32 of the biggest names in the sport will compete in a grueling test of who can hold it together in the long-formatted leg-style games.
Last year's winner, Luke Humphries, is looking to go back-to-back, while Luke Littler is seeking to add another major title to his collection.
The two Lukes are the obvious favorites, but several players will be looking to spoil their title hopes in Blackpool.
MORE: Who qualified for the 2025 World Matchplay of Darts?
2025 World Matchplay of Darts first round predictions
Here are my predictions for the first round.
James Wade (9) vs. Joe Cullen
Winner: Joe Cullen, 10-8
Cullen is bound for a breakout performance. Wade made a run to the semifinal at this past weekend's Baltic Sea Darts Open, but Cullen always seems to put together his best performances in Blackpool.
Danny Noppert (16) vs. Cameron Menzies
Winner: Danny Noppert, 10-4
Noppert is far more experienced than Menzies on these big stages and will look to take care of business before a potential clash with Luke Humphries in the second round.
Luke Humphries (1) vs. Gian van Veen
Winner: Luke Humphries, 10-7
This game can really go either way, but it's hard not to take the world number one despite the high ceiling van Veen has.
Gian should be able to hang around, but Humphries will have the edge with how clutch he has been in the last 18 months.
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Nathan Aspinall (8) vs. Wessel Nijman
Winner: Wessel Nijman, 13-11
Nijman has slowly begun to show he can compete with the best. These games are best-of-10, but this could be a very close game that requires extra legs to be played, since a player must win by two legs.
It's a shame one player in this match will already be out of the tournament this weekend, but the one who advances could go very far.
Damon Heta (7) vs. Andrew Gilding
Winner: Damon Heta, 10-6
Gilding is a seasoned veteran, but Heta is still searching for a breakout major performance. If Heta is in top form, there will be no stopping him.
Rob Cross (10) vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode
Winner: Dirk van Duijvenbode, 11-9
This is another that I believe will require extra legs. Dirk is a dark horse of mine to go far in this tournament and upset some seeded players.
Cross has been a little inconsistent, which opens up the door for Dirk, who has been displaying some high averages recently.
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Peter Wright (15) vs. Jermaine Wattimena
Winner: Jermaine Wattimena, 10-4
Peter Wright is in no form right now to show that he can be any kind of threat at Blackpool.
Wattimena is another Dutch player who has shown glimpses of quality darts this year and has a chance to advance to his first second-round game at Blackpool in his career.
Dave Chisnall (12) vs. Mike De Decker
Winner: Dave Chisnall, 10-5
Chisnall hasn't had many deep runs in tournaments in 2025 despite being a highly ranked player.
De Decker hasn't either, outside of his final appearance in Belgium on the European Tour, so I have Chisnall beating De Decker fairly comfortably.
Gary Anderson (13) vs. Luke Woodhouse
Winner: Gary Anderson, 10-6
Anderson just had a strong performance in Germany on the European Tour. He made the final and averaged over a 98.00 in three out of the five games over the weekend.
Anderson has had success in Blackpool before, and could make it back to the quarterfinal or semifinal round, with the draw he received.
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Jonny Clayton (5) vs. Martin Schindler
Winner: Jonny Clayton, 10-7
Schindler is still looking for a breakout performance at a major. He's been one of the best players on the European Tour over the past couple of years, but hasn't found success at any majors.
Clayton should be able to finish off Schindler, barring any disasters.
Luke Littler (2) vs. Ryan Searle
Winner: Luke Littler, 10-3
Searle has been solid in 2025, but if the Luke Littler that we know shows up, this shouldn't be very close.
Littler has dismantled opponents, even against players who have faced him in the semifinals and finals of tournaments in the last 18 months of majors.
Stephen Bunting (4) vs. Ryan Joyce
Winner: Stephen Bunting, 10-5
Bunting has only had a quarter-final appearance in 10 years at the World Matchplay.
The World Matchplay has been a major he's struggled to perform well at, so he'll look to beat Ryan Joyce and move on to a match with either Gary Anderson or Luke Woodhouse.
MORE: Gerwyn Price sets tone for World Matchplay of Darts after winning second title this week
Chris Dobey (6) vs. Ricardo Pietreczko
Winner: Chris Dobey, 10-4
Pietreczko is another player who has been too inconsistent to pick as a first-round winner.
The upside of Chris Dobey is too great for Ricardo to overcome, which is why this should be a fairly easy win for Dobey.
Gerwyn Price (11) vs. Daryl Gurney
Winner: Gerwyn Price, 10-5
In all honesty, this could be the easiest game of the tournament for Price if he ends up going far.
He has an incredibly difficult draw set up, so he'll have to relish playing Gurney in the first round.
Gurney should apply some pressure, but Price has been on fire recently and has a high chance of advancing.
Michael van Gerwen (3) vs. Raymond van Barneveld
Winner: Michael van Gerwen, 10-2
MVG is still finding his form after returning from a month-plus-long break, but he seems to be in good spirits despite some of his recent results.
Even when he hasn't been playing his A or B game, he finds a way to make runs at the times when it matters most.
RVB just hasn't done enough to show this game will be anywhere near close, which is why I have MVG winning in a blowout.
Ross Smith (14) vs. Josh Rock
Winner: Josh Rock, 12-10
Josh Rock will cap off the first round, joining a handful of players who will knock out seeded players, beating Ross Smith.
Rock is bound for a breakout tournament at a major after excelling on the ProTour in the last 18 months.
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