World Series Darts Semi-Finals Preview and Tips

Eight have now become four after the quarter finals at the World Series Of Darts this afternoon. Two of James Punt’s ante-post picks have made it. Van Den Bergh and Ratajski were advised at 11.00 and 17.00 respectively, let’s hope one of them can get the job done. You can see who James fancies to progress to the decider in his World Series Darts Semi-Finals preview below.

Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Dimitri van den Bergh

It was a comfortable win for The Polish Eagle against Zonneveld, but it should have been by a much bigger margin. Zonneveld wasn’t playing well and was there for the taking but Ratajski, not for the first time, just went AWOL on the doubles. Even with a big lead, he got nervous and invited Zonneveld to come back at him. Thankfully the gap was too big, and he finally got the job done, winning 10-6. Ratajski is trying to reach his first televised final and he looked very nervous once he started to miss the doubles. Against a better player, he may have lost that quarter final.

Ratajski has only played one PDC televised semi-final, this years World Matchplay and he lost it 9-17 to Dimitri van den Bergh.

Tough Match For Dimitri

Van den Bergh came through a very tough match with his Belgian teammate, Kim Huybrechts, going through with a narrow 10-8 win. It was a much higher quality match than Ratajski vs. Zonneveld and Dimitri was pushed all the way after opening up a 4-1 gap at the first break. A bit like Ratajski, Van den Bergh found hitting the doubles very hard at the business end of the match. Up to that point he always just looked to have too much for Huybrechts, moving up a gear when the older Belgian squared the match.

Dimitri made the point that his last two matches where against friends, which makes things a bit different. It is all just business now.

The H2H stats show a 5-3 lead for Dimitri. They have only met on stage once and that was the Matchplay semi-final. The rest of their matches have been on the floor and five went to a deciding leg.

Very Similar Stats

Their stats over the last 12 months are ridiculously similar. Both average 97, both have a checkout rate of 39%. Legs won both on 55%, first nine average both 107. The list goes on. Only 180’s per leg sees a divergence with 0.30 for Ratajski and 0.35 for Van den Bergh. When it comes to televised semi-finals (excluding World Cups) Van den Bergh has played four and won three, Ratajski played one, lost one. The Belgian is the more experienced and has a good strike rate.

I expect Van den Bergh to be the less nervous, probably more focused of the two. He still has a gear or two more than Ratajski. Despite their stats being so similar and all those close floor matches, this looks like going Van den Bergh’s way unless Ratajski can shake off his nerves and up his game.

Dimitri van den Bergh is the 1.61 favourite but I’ll take him to cover the handicap and whatever happens, we have a player in the final!

World Series Darts Semi-Finals Tips: 1 point Dimitri van den Bergh to win -2.5 legs @ 2.30 with Unibet

Jonny Clayton vs. Michael van Gerwen

Gerwyn Price has discovered that it is very hard to shake off a Ferret when it gets its teeth into you. Price was 7-2 up with Clayton averaging in the 80’s, but just as price took his foot of the gas a little, Clayton found his game and came back to win 10-9. Price’s failure to get these big games over the line will be getting to him.

Clayton ended up with quite respectable stats from the match despite such a poor first half. I suspect that he can and will bring the darts he played in the second half into this semi-final. He is used to playing and winning big matches and tournaments and has a very good attitude. Nothing much fazes him.

Michael van Gerwen beat Merv king 10-5 in another match of two halves. Both he and King where rubbish for the first half, Kings miles away from the player we saw in the first two rounds. MVG just about manged to lead 3-2 at the first break with both players averaging 89. Van Gerwen was then able to open up a 7-3 gap at the second break and was able to relax and play better. He ended up with a 97 average in the end, but it wasn’t vintage MVG.

Advantage Clayton

Their H2H record is 13-8 to MVG and they have met five times this year and it is 4-2 to Jonny Clayton, so advantage Clayton in my book.

Van Gerwen has home advantage, and he really wants to win in front of a home crowd. Will that inspire him or put additional pressure on him? The jury is out on that one.

It is a hard match to call with the home advantage factor thrown in, but Clayton just about gets the nod given their recent H2H form. Clayton has played in three TV semi-finals in 2021 and won all three, MVG has played in four and lost three.

World Series Darts Semi-Finals Tip: 1 point Jonny Clayton to win @ 2.30 with Betfred

That is it for me and fingers crossed for the final!

-JamesPunt