Michael Smith triumphed over Chris Dobey in a closely contested match to reach the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay Darts tournament in Blackpool. Smith, who was defeated by Dobey in last year’s quarter-finals, took revenge with an 11-9 victory, securing the win with his third match dart.
Smith started strong, establishing a 6-2 lead, but Dobey mounted a comeback with an impressive 170 checkout to narrow the gap to 6-5. Smith managed to pull ahead again to 8-5 but struggled to close out the next leg, allowing Dobey to steal it. Dobey continued to pressure Smith, dragging the score back to 9-8 with a fine 140 finish. However, Smith held his nerve to avenge last year’s defeat and set up a quarter-final clash with Rob Cross.
Other Notable Matches:
Michael van Gerwen vs. Joe Cullen: Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen fended off a spirited fightback from Joe Cullen to secure his spot in the last eight. Van Gerwen led 9-5 before Cullen closed the gap to 9-8. The Dutchman then regained his composure to win the next two legs, setting up a quarter-final match against Andrew Gilding.
Andrew Gilding vs. Krzysztof Ratajski: Englishman Andrew Gilding advanced comfortably with an 11-5 victory over Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski. Although Ratajski stayed competitive initially, Gilding won the final four legs to secure his place in the quarter-finals.
Rob Cross vs. Ryan Searle: England’s Rob Cross displayed excellent form in his 11-6 win over compatriot Ryan Searle. Cross finished with an average of nearly 107, demonstrating his fluency and setting up a quarter-final meeting with Michael Smith.
These results have set the stage for an exciting quarter-final round at the World Matchplay Darts tournament.
