The 2025 Betfred World Matchplay began a week ago – more or less – with 32 hopefuls all vying to get their hands on the iconic Phil Taylor trophy.
So named, of course, because every time the bloke showed up, he usually walked off with it.We’ve had debutants, veterans, early exits, surprise runs, and even one man who last lifted the trophy two decades ago – and he’s still in the mix and playing as well as ever.
There’s been drama, fireworks, a relentless flurry of maximums, and the occasional false alarm where players opened with back-to-back 180s – triggering a stampede of photographers to the stage, lenses primed for that elusive nine-darter.
Hasn’t happened yet. Closest we got was Stephen Bunting’s attempt, which, let’s just say, drifted a bit wide. So, after 28 games – some gripping, some one-sided, and a few that won’t make the highlight reel – we’re down to the final three matches: a pair of semi-finals (because that’s generally how this works), followed by the big one on Sunday night.
Semi-Final One: James Wade vs Jonny Clayton
Back in 2006, James Wade made his Matchplay debut and reached the final. Solid start. The following year, he went one better – lifting the trophy and beginning a long-term relationship with televised PDC majors that’s now into double digits.
Jonny Clayton, on the other hand, was always good – very good – but for a while, his trophy cabinet was more IKEA showroom than showstopper.
That changed in 2020 when he teamed up with compatriot Gerwyn Price to win the World Cup for Wales. It turned out to be the spark he needed. Soon after, he started collecting titles with real intent.The only issue?
None of them counted for rankings. Great for the bank balance, not so much for climbing the Order of Merit. The Masters? Nice. The Premier League? Glitzy. But not a sausage when it comes to ranking points.
Then came the Grand Prix – a ranked title that finally propelled The Ferret into the elite. Since then, like Wade, he’s been firmly among the big boys.This semi-final looks like one for the darting purists – tight, tense, and likely to be settled by the finest of margins.
If Wade wins, he edges closer to the remarkable feat of claiming his first and second Matchplay titles almost 20 years apart. If Jonny wins, he could become the first Welshman to lift the trophy. This one has tie-break written all over it.
Semi-Final Two: Luke Littler vs Josh Rock
If that first semi whets the appetite, this one might just melt your screen. Luke Littler vs Josh Rock – two young men who treat 180s like casual warm-ups. For the rest of us, hitting one would be a career highlight. For them, it’s basically a punctuation mark.
This is a match loaded with hype – and for once, completely worthy of it. These two will feature in countless finals in years to come, and this could be the first of many generational clashes.
Records could tumble here – especially the maximum count. I’ve no idea what the current Matchplay semi-final 180 record is, and frankly, I’m not texting the statisticians at this hour.
But whatever it is, this pair might have it surrounded by the first ad break.
Both matches could easily be finals in their own right. We’re lucky enough to get two. It’s old school vs new wave. Legends vs prodigies.
And honestly, you could make a fair case for any of the four to lift the trophy on Sunday night.Only Wade has done it before – and experience does matter at this level.
Or at least it did, until Luke Littler turned up, looked experience dead in the eye, and said nah, you’re alright.
Four players. One trophy. And, to be honest, it’s about as wide open as it gets.
—–Ends—–
images: T Lanning / PDC
