Betfred Matchplay: Humphries shocked as Price advances
Cameron Menzies stunned 2024 champion Luke Humphries 10-7 at the Betfred World Matchplay in Blackpool on Monday night, sealing a first Winter Gardens win with an inspired 170 checkout, while Gerwyn Price survived a scare to beat Martin Schindler 11-9 and reach round two. Ross Smith and Rob Cross also advanced on a dramatic day three.
Key Takeaways
- Cameron Menzies beat Luke Humphries 10-7, clinching victory with a 170 checkout for his first Winter Gardens win.
- Gerwyn Price recovered from 4-0 and 6-2 down to defeat Martin Schindler 11-9.
- Ross Smith saw off Kevin Doets 10-6; Rob Cross thrashed Danny Noppert 10-3.
- Defending champion Luke Littler opened with a 10-6 win over Niko Springer and next faces Nathan Aspinall.
- The Betfred-backed event runs July 18-26 at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, with a £1m prize fund.
What happened to Luke Humphries at the Betfred Matchplay?
World No. 2 Humphries, the 2024 champion, fell 10-7 to Scotland’s Cameron Menzies on Monday at the Empress Ballroom. Menzies led with a double-double 129, then raced 7-3 clear before Humphries fought back with a 167 checkout and a four-leg surge.
Menzies ended the contest with a 170 “Big Fish” finish—his first win on the Winter Gardens stage. “No one gave me hope… that’s my biggest win,” he told Sky Sports. He meets Ross Smith next.
How did Gerwyn Price and the rest of day three unfold?
Former World Matchplay finalist Price trailed Schindler 4-0 and 6-2 before punishing missed doubles to win 11-9 in extra legs. Price admitted it was “the worst I’ve played all season” but said the Blackpool crowd helped him through. He faces Rob Cross next after Voltage’s 10-3 win over Danny Noppert.
Earlier, Smith defied Doets’ 104.19 average—and a match-saving 161—to win 10-6, finishing with a 120 Shanghai. Cross led 5-0 at the break, averaged 97.41, and posted 52.6% on doubles.
Why does the Betfred World Matchplay still matter this week?
Sponsor Betfred fronts the PDC’s flagship July major as a 32-player field chases the Phil Taylor Trophy through July 26. The prize pot is £1m, with £225,000 for the winner—numbers that keep betting and sports-finance desks watching every session.
Defending champion Luke Littler started with a 10-6 win over Niko Springer, averaging 109.53 with seven 180s, per the BBC. He faces Nathan Aspinall in round two, with Michael van Gerwen, Josh Rock and Stephen Bunting also in Tuesday’s lineup. For more market-moving sports alerts, see BlasterPost Fintech & Crypto Alerts.