PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals

After a night off on New Year’s Eve the players return to the Ally Pally for quarter-final day. First up is The Polish Eagle Krystof Ratajski who takes on Stephen Bunting. Afterwards, Gary Anderson takes on Dirk Van Duijvenbode. They promise to be two cracking contests and James Punt has previewed both matches. Check out his PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals tips and previews below…

Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Stephen Bunting

These two have only played each other three times and two of those meetings were on the Home Tour, as far away from playing a World Championship quarter final at Ally Pally as is possible. Ratajski won both those, 4-0 and 5-3, while Bunting won their only ‘real life’ match on the euro tour 6-3, nearly three years ago. Not much H2H form to go on in other words.

The tournament form of the two players is very similar. Ratajski is averaging 95.9, Bunting 94.7. Ratajski is checking out at 36.6%, Bunting 33.9% but Bunting has hit 21 maximums to Ratajski’s 15. Not much to go there either.

Ratajski is the higher ranked player on account of being more successful and winning more matches. He has won six PDC pro tour titles and one euro tour title. All of Buntings titles came in his BDO days, but he was their World Champion back in 2014. His record in PDC major championships has seen Bunting play in eight quarter finals and win just two. His last win in a PDC quarter final was back in 2015. Ratajski has only had a tour card since 2019 and in the time he has played and lost two major quarter finals.

Can The Bullet Finally Deliver?

The perceived wisdom is that Bunting is one of the most naturally gifted players of his generation, wright up there with Michael Smith, but like Smith, he is an under achiever. He has struggled with the pressure in big matches and has never realised his potential.

Ratajski on the other hand, has risen rapidly up the rankings and picked up titles on a regular basis. Arguably his stage form isn’t as good as his floor form, but we have to remember that he is relatively new on the PDC scene.

In terms of ability, you can’t split these two, but in terms of mental toughness, my vote goes to Ratajski. We have seen Bunting fail too many times in these big matches to have any great faith that he will suddenly find the winning formula.

Bunting Could Be Overpriced

Ratajski is the 1.53 favourite and Bunting 2.75. Personally, I would have them closer than that, but still with Ratajski as favourite. There is no value in Ratajski’s odds and I suspect this will be a nervy match with neither being able to dominate. They both went to a deciding set in their 4th round matches but it is Ratajski who has had the easier time in his matches, only losing three sets across his three matches so far, while Bunting has lost seven.

Looking at the last five years the 20 quarter finals have seen 50% ending 5-3 or 5-4. This looks like a match that should be reasonably close. Both players tournament form is very similar, neither is a serial major winner, both will be tight at times and an easy win for either player would be a surprise.

PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals Tips: 2 points over 7.5 sets @ 2.00 with Betfred, Betfair, Paddy Power

PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals Tips: 1 point Ratajski to win 5-3 @ 6.00 with Skybet

Gary Anderson vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode

What to make of this one?

Gary Anderson beat Devon Petersen 4-0 in the last round. Petersen got found out as his game wasn’t up to scratch. It was a bit of a canter for Anderson who was in is comfort zone playing against a player that wasn’t going to do anything but play the way Gary thinks all darts should be played. Play by his rules, lose by his rules.

Overall, Anderson is averaging 94.5, not his usual sort of World Championship scoring. His checkout rate is decent at 37.5% and he has hit 14 maximums. Dirk has been scoring better, averaging 97, hitting more maximums, 25, but not so good on the doubles at 32.7%. That last stat is a worry and Duijvenbode is going to have to hit more doubles. These two last met in the quarter final of the World Grand Prix and it was Duijvenbode who won 3-1.

Will Dirk Be Overawed?

The Dutchman has proven to himself that he can beat Anderson, but unfortunately, he also says that Anderson is his darting hero. I don’t like that. A bit like Petersen did, if you make Anderson comfortable, he will piss all over you, if you can niggle him, and let’s face it, that’s not difficult, you can get under his skin and put him out of his stride.

Gary doesn’t like antics. Antics include not playing at exactly the pace that Gary likes, standing the wrong way and celebrating with anything more than a nod of the head. Pace of play wise, Duijvenbode isn’t slow, but he may not be as quick as Anderson deems acceptable. As for celebrating, well, Dirk does like to celebrate, and why the fuck not? Most players like to celebrate, and fans like to see it. Anderson, and Merv King, belong to a different time and will just have to accept it, but Anderson just can’t seem to do that.

Dutchman Has Talent To Win

Duijvenbode has the talent to beat Anderson and he has been very impressive under pressure in all three of his matches. My worry is that Duijvenbode will show Andersson too much respect. He may well have been watching Anderson’s numerous moaning interviews in the last week, complaining about anything under the sun and just being angry. He may not want to upset his hero and try his best to tone down his celebrations, try and stand exactly where Anderson needs him to stand, and play as fast as he can, just to keep things sweet. If he does that, he gets beat. Play his own game, he can win.

Obviously, Anderson has a huge amount of experience in this event and has won five of his seven quarter finals, but Dirk has that recent major quarter final win over Anderson to draw on.

Anderson is being backed and is now the 1.83 favourite with Duijvenbode at 2.00. Again, it is hard to argue with the odds. We backed Dirk at 100.00 on Betfair exchange ante post and he can be laid of at 19.5 as of now. It would be prudent to lay off say half the potential profit as if he does win this, he gets MVG, very likely MVG.

Gerwyn Price vs. Daryl Gurney

These have drawn no less than four Premier League matches which should be taken into account when looking at their H2H record which says 9-3 to Price. There was a time when Superchin just couldn’t play Price. He just got wound up and lost but more recently, things have been much closer, and Price knows that he has a job of work to do if he is to make his second World Championship semi-final.

Daryl Gurney came into this event in poor form and with low expectations. In recent years, as an elite player, he was expected to have deep runs and challenge for the title, but it didn’t happen. He seemed to try too hard and wasn’t able to play his best. This time round, he was just another outsider, tipped by no one and with no pressure of high expectations to worry about.

The result is that he played very well in his first two rounds. His fourth-round match with Van der Voort wasn’t so great but it was a 4-2 win. Job done. He said in his post-match interview that he had hardly slept the night before, which suggests that expectations are now entering the equation. At least he enters the match as the outsider again.

Price Has Finishing Power

Gerwyn Price beat Merv King 4-1 in a match that many thought would at least be close. However, Price was just a lot better on his doubles (51.8% to Kings 29%) and that was the difference.

Their respective tournament stats are a 97.6 average for Gurney, 96.9 for Price. Price is checking out at 45% and Gurney 40%. Both have hit 18 maximums. Both players have played one World Championship quarter final, Price won his, Gurney lost, but that was some time ago.

Hopefully Superchin will be able to relax enough to let his darts flow like they did for most of his first two matches. If he plays like that then he has a good chance of winning but if the expectations are getting in the way, Price is too good to not take advantage.

In line with their recent Premier League matches, this could be another close one.

PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals Tips: 1 point over 7.5 sets @ 2.10 with Betfair, Paddy Power

Michael van Gerwen vs. Dave Chisnall

I was hoping that Dimitri van den Bergh would be facing MVG today. He was the only player looking like he had the fire power to match Van Gerwen. MVG is averaging 104 compared to Chisnall’s 99.7 but the really worrying stat come in the H2H record with MVG having a 48-9 record over Chisnall. They have never met in a World Championship. MVG has played in seven quarter finals here and won the lot while Chizzy has played two and lost two, both to Gary Anderson

Van Gerwen will be in his comfort zone. He’s got an opponent who is halfway beaten before a dart is thrown and an opponent who gets tight in big matches, much easier than one of the new upstart kids who think they have a chance.

Chizzy Holding Nerve

To be fair to Chisnall he has held it together so far and even many of his wild throws have found the target, but very often, he is employing three different throws on his turn.

Van Gerwen is the 1.21 favourite with Chisnall 5.00 and you can’t argue with those. Chisnall has hit more 180’s so far and he is a bigger maximum hitter than Van Gerwen who often likes to use treble 19. Chizzy is the 1.61 favourite for most 180’s.

Van Gerwen has never won a quarter final to nil and Chisnall should get his name on the scoreboard, but how many sets can he get. In the last five quarter finals he has played in, MVG has won four either 5-1 or 5-2 and something similar is very possible this evening. Under 7.5 legs is priced up at 1.57 and again the bookies seem to have got this match right.

PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals Tips: 0.5 point Van Gerwen to win 5-1 @ 4.33 with Betfred, Unibet

PDC World Championship Quarter-Finals Tips: 0.5 point Van Gerwen to win 5-2 @ 5.00 with Skybet

-JamesPunt