Cameron Menzies delivered a significant upset at the World Matchplay in Blackpool, defeating Luke Humphries 10-7 in the first round. The match, held at the Winter Gardens, saw Menzies secure his first victory on that stage with a memorable 170 checkout.
The encounter on Monday night featured a strong performance from Menzies, who faced the World No 2 Humphries. Menzies expressed his delight, stating, “No one gave me hope! I didn’t give myself hope but I finally won a game at the Winter Gardens.” He acknowledged Humphries as a great player and described the win as his biggest in the PDC.
Menzies’ Path to Victory
The match began with a series of breaks of throw. Menzies achieved a 129 checkout to take a lead, while Humphries responded with a 167 finish to level the score after the first interval. Menzies then built an 8-3 advantage.
Humphries mounted a comeback, winning the next four legs. However, Menzies regained his composure, executing a 98 checkout before sealing the victory with a 170 finish. This decisive checkout secured his progression to the second round.
The match began with a series of breaks of throw. Menzies achieved a 129 checkout to take a lead, while Humphries responded with a 167 finish to level the score after the first interval. Menzies then built an 8-3 advantage.
Other First Round Results
In other first-round action, Ross Smith also advanced, setting up a clash with Menzies in the next round. Smith overcame Kevin Doets, securing his win with a 120 checkout after Doets had produced a 161 finish to extend the match. Smith had initially taken a 5-0 lead, including a 10-dart leg and a 160 checkout.
Gerwyn Price survived a scare against Martin Schindler, winning 11-9. Price trailed 4-0 and 6-2 before recovering to lead 9-8. Schindler forced a tie-break with a 121 checkout, but Price broke throw and finished with a 100 checkout to complete his comeback. Price admitted, “Without the crowd, I would have lost today,” and described it as “the worst I’ve played all season.”
Price is now set to face Rob Cross, who began his campaign with a 10-3 victory over Danny Noppert. Cross, the 2019 champion, led 5-0 at the break and maintained his advantage, averaging 97.41 and achieving a 128 checkout.
Upcoming Matches
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay continues at the Winter Gardens, running until July 26. The second round will feature against Nathan Aspinall. Littler opened his title defence with a 10-6 win over Niko Springer on Day One.
Other notable second-round matches include Stephen Bunting taking on Josh Rock, Michael van Gerwen facing Dirk van Duijvenbode, and Gary Anderson competing against 2023 runner-up Jonny Clayton. Anderson recorded the eighth-highest average in World Matchplay history with 109.96 in his 10-2 win over Ryan Joyce.
The tournament, which features a 32-player field, will continue with second-round matches on Tuesday.
Monday’s results included Ross Smith 10-6 Kevin Doets, Gerwyn Price 11-9 Martin Schindler, Cameron Menzies 10-7 Luke Humphries, and Rob Cross 10-3 Danny Noppert.
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Source: skysports.com
