The opening stage of the 2026 World Matchplay darts tournament concludes with four final first-round matches on July 20 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Seeded players have dominated the competition so far, with only two Pro Tour qualifiers advancing to the second round.
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Key Matchups
Kevin Doets makes his Winter Gardens debut against Ross Smith, who is defending prize money from a quarter-final run two years ago.
Doets has outperformed Smith across key metrics over the past six months, holding a higher average of 96.37 compared to Smith's 95.86, alongside superior checkout percentages and match win rates.
Gerwyn Price faces Martin Schindler after a strong season that includes victories on both the European Tour and the Players Championship.
Price holds an average of 99.36 in 2026, the third-highest figure on the professional circuit, while Schindler enters the tie having lost five consecutive matches.
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Luke Humphries, who recently won the World Cup of Darts alongside Luke Littler, meets Cameron Menzies.
Humphries holds a 101.09 circuit average this year, second only to Littler's 101.15, as he aims to improve on his first-round exit from the previous year's tournament.
In the remaining fixture, Danny Noppert matches up against 2020 world champion Rob Cross.
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Despite being ranked 13 places higher than Cross, Noppert enters as an underdog despite a 6-4 victory over Cross in their most recent encounter at a Players Championship event.
