At the World Matchplay in Blackpool, Michael van Gerwen will play Adrian Lewis in a highly anticipated first-round matchup while defending champion Peter Wright will take on Madars Razma.
In June, Van Gerwen won the Premier League for the first time since 2019 and tied Phil Taylor’s record of six championships.
And when he begins his campaign against 2013 finalist Lewis, the Dutchman will have his sights set on winning his third Matchplay at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens and his first since 2016.
The former two-time World Champion has begun to resemble his former self in recent months. On Sunday, the 37-year-old from Barnsley, England, won Players Championship 20, giving him his first ranking victory in more than three years.
The top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit and 16 ProTour Order of Merit qualifiers make up the field. The tournament’s prize money has increased to £800,000, an increase of £100,000 from the 2021 edition.
This contains a sizable £200,000 prize for the victor, while the current champion, Peter Wright, who is also the World Champion and the No. 1 in the world, attempts to retain his title.
Snakebite will face Madars Razma of Latvia, one of four debutants in the 32-player field, to start his quest to become the fourth player to defend the title. Gerwyn Price of the world No. 2 will face Martin Schindler of Germany to start his quest for a first World Matchplay victory, and Michael Smith of the previous year will face Andrew Gilding.
The 2018 winner Gary Anderson will face two-time semifinalist Daryl Gurney in his opening match, while Joe Cullen, the runner-up in the Premier League, will face Australia’s historic World Cup winner Damon Heta.
DRAW BRACKET 🏆
Here's how the draw shapes up for the 2022 @Betfred World Matchplay, starting this Saturday on July 16
Some absolutely incredible first round ties! pic.twitter.com/WNmlVd08zo
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 11, 2022
The game’s schedule will be announced later, with the first round taking place during the first three days, from July 16 to 18.
The Women’s World Matchplay, which will feature eight players participating on Sunday, July 24, is another highlight of this year’s trip to the Winter Gardens.
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