Saturday World Matchplay Darts Tips – JP
Saturday World Matchplay Darts Preview
It is almost time for the first major of the season. It is one of James Punt’s favourite tournament and he has already written an in-depth, player by player preview. Read it here. He has also had a look at the matches on opening night. Check out his Saturday World Matchplay Darts tips below.
Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Stephen Bunting
This will be their fifth meeting, but two of them were remote home tour affairs. It is 2-2 but Bunting has won their two matches which took place ‘in the flesh’.
Bunting has played seven first round matches here in Blackpool and lost five. Ratajski on the other hand has played three and won three. The Polish eagle has won seven of his last ten matches, Bunting just four.
Ratajski is the 1.80 favourite, Bunting 2.10. It is hard to get too excited about either player. Ratajski has been losing too many matches in 2022, but not playing badly. That he won eight matches last weekend will have helped his confidence. He had his best result in a major here last year and has hit ton plus averages in his last two openers here.
The Eagle’s better record in Blackpool should help relax him, while Bunting, who has lost six of his last ten matches, has never enjoyed much success here.
Saturday World Matchplay Darts tips: 1 point Ratajski to win @ 1.80 with SpreadEx
Dimitri van den Bergh vs. Callan Rydz
Dimitri has played in two Matchplays and made the final on both occasions, winning one, albeit behind closed doors. It is fair to assume that he will be looking forward to this, but he is defending £150000 which brings its own pressure. He has won six of his last ten matches, not playing as well last weekend as he was last month, but still decent form.
Their H2H form is 1-1 but they have not met a senior level and they haven’t played since 2016.
Callan Rydz has lost five of his last ten matches and he won the draw lottery last year, getting an out of form Glen Durrant in the first round. He only played the first two days of last weekend’s players championship matches, only winning one match and hitting three sub 90 averages. I do not know why he pulled out but perhaps he just wasn’t feeling great.
It is hard to have much confidence in Rydz after his withdrawal last weekend. Van den Bergh is the 1.50 favourite, which is a bit short. Their H2H form is no guide at all either. The two players are big 180 hitters, but the bookies seem to have got a grip on that market as well. No bet.
Saturday World Matchplay Darts tips: No Bet
Peter Wright vs. Madars Razma
We are on Wright outright for the title, but this is a potential banana skin if he is not up to speed early on. Razma may be the lightest scorer in the field, but he is an effective player and tries very hard. His game is improving, and he is not afraid of taking on the big guns. He has never beaten Snakebite is six attempts, however.
Their previous meetings have all been in players championships with a cumulative leg score of 30-19. The last two matches in 2020 and 2021 saw score lines of 8-1 and 6-2. Razma has lost his last six televised matches. In first to ten leg matches on TV, he has played four and won two.
While Razma is making his debut, this will be Wright’s twelfth Matchplay. He has won his last seven first round matches, four of them 10-5. His form last weekend was good with nine ton plus averages and only two sub 95 averages. I expect him to be too strong for Razma and he could win with something in reserve.
Wright is the 1.25 favourite but I’ll take him on the handicap.
Saturday World Matchplay Darts tips: 1 point Peter Wright to win -3.5 legs @ 1.95 with Fitzdares
Saturday World Matchplay Darts tips: 0.5 point Wright to win 10-5 @ 7.00 with SpreadEx
Jonny Clayton vs. Rowby-John Rodriguez
Rowby-John Rodriguez is a player on the up. He has won seven of his last ten and is confident, with a cockiness to go with it. That would wind some players up, the little pause to turn to the crowd when going for a third treble 20. I imagine Gary Anderson would be delighted with those shenanigans.
The Ferret won’t be bothered. It is hard to gast his flabber. Clayton has found some good form just in time for the second biggest tournament in the game. He has won eight of his last ten matches and was runner up to Brendan Dolan in PC21 on Monday. He has played in four previous Matchplays but only won one match. He lost two opening matches to Michael Smith and one to Keegan Brown. It is fair to say that his memories of the Winter Gardens aren’t great.
Clayton Edges H2H
Their H2H record is 5-2 to Clayton, all played since 2019, and The Ferret has won four of their last five. Rodriguez won their last match, a first to four leg World Cup match. This much longer match will be much more to Clayton’s liking. They have played one first to ten format match and Clayton won that 10-7 at last year’s UK Open.
Rowby-John has only played three first to ten televised matches in his career and lost the lot, two of them 2-10 and the other 7-10, which was against Clayton. He is a better player now but Clayton has so much more experience on the TV stage.
Ferret Hot Fav
Jonny Clayton is the 1.29 favourite, Rodriguez 4.00. Two weeks ago, I would have entertained the idea of backing Rowby-John, but Clayton’s weekend form was eye catching. His tournament record is poor and he won’t be entirely confident as a result, but he should get the better of the rookie.
Rodriguez does process an explosive A game, as we saw when he averaged 108 when beating Bradley Brooks 6-1 at this year’s UK Open. However, with a seasonal average of 92.2, he lacks consistency.
It is not an easy match to read. Clayton deserves to be the favourite, but Rodriguez is a potentially dangerous opponent. He will enjoy playing in front of a big crowd and it unlikely to be stage struck. I’ll take Rodriguez to give The Ferret a bit of a game but the Welshman to win through.
