A Blood Pressure Reading, Not A Missed Double, Ends Cameron Menzies' Best Week At The World Matchplay

Cameron Menzies beat world number two Luke Humphries in the first round, the biggest win of his career. By Wednesday's fourth leg against Ross Smith, he was doubling over on stage, dizzy and unsteady, before fainting and being led away for medical checks. He didn't lose the match through a missed double or a cold run of legs. He lost it to his own blood pressure, and that single moment did more to define the night at the Winter Gardens than anything Gerwyn Price, Gian van Veen or James Wade managed on the oche - even though all three won.

A Career-Best Week Undone By Illness, Not An Opponent

Menzies became dizzy while 2-1 up in the fourth leg of his second-round tie with Smith, then fainted before being helped from the stage. He was checked over by medical staff and returned to his accommodation. The PDC later explained in a statement that Menzies had experienced high blood pressure, which left him dizzy and caused him to faint, and that following an on-site medical assessment he was cleared to return to his accommodation rather than continue playing. He was cleared by doctors but judged too unwell to carry on.

The contest was abandoned with Smith awarded the win and a place in the last eight, where he now meets Price. It is a strange way for a breakout run to end. Menzies had beaten a world number two just a day earlier - and looked capable of going further. Instead, his week closed with a medical assessment rather than a dropped leg, a reminder that a two-week draw in Blackpool can end a story on terms that have nothing to do with the dartboard.

Price Grinds Past Cross, Promises Better To Come

Gerwyn Price's 11-5 win over Rob Cross was more comfortable on the scoreboard than it felt on stage. Cross led 3-2 before Price reeled off six legs in a row to move 8-3 ahead. Cross rallied to 8-5, but Price closed it out from there, taking the match on tops with his familiar roar.

Afterwards, Price was candid about the level he'd shown, admitting he'd struggled throughout the match and couldn't settle into any consistent scoring rhythm. He said he needs to find a significantly higher level if he's serious about winning the tournament, even while feeling he's heading in the right direction. He also pointed to the energy and buzz that Smith, his quarter-final opponent, tends to bring to a contest, and promised a return to his old self. "You are going to see the old me," he said, adding that it would come back as long as the Blackpool crowd stays behind him.

It is a notable admission from a player who has just won by six legs. Price's read on his own form suggests the scoreline flattered him against Cross, and that the version of himself he's promising hasn't fully arrived yet - useful context heading into a quarter-final against a player who, by Price's own account, thrives on the kind of atmosphere Blackpool provides.

Van Veen Survives A Tie-Break Epic To Set Up A Wade Rematch

Gian van Veen's 14-12 win over Wessel Nijman was the night's longest and closest contest, and it sets up a repeat of last year's quarter-final: Van Veen against James Wade, who beat him 16-13 in 2025. Van Veen will get an immediate chance to avenge that defeat.

Nijman came into the match having won six Pro Tour titles in 2026, still searching for a way to turn that floor form into a big-stage breakthrough. Van Veen moved 4-1 up after the first session, helped by two breaks of throw including a 135 checkout on the bull. Nijman responded by hitting maximums with ease, taking four of the next five legs to level at 5-5. Sky Sports Darts' Wayne Mardle predicted an edgy, enthralling contest, and that's what followed - both players averaging around 97 as the lead swapped repeatedly.

Nijman moved 11-10 ahead, his first lead since the opening leg, only for Van Veen to produce a 148 checkout under pressure to level at 11-11 with his opponent waiting on 64. The deciding moment came in the 25th leg, when Van Veen broke throw and earned the chance to play for the match. He took it on double 16, denying Nijman what would have been his first quarter-final at a major.

Wade's Longevity Keeps Extending

James Wade beat Ryan Searle 11-8 to reach the quarter-finals for the 14th time, in his 21st World Matchplay appearance - a run of consistency that has now spanned decades of the tournament. The match was tight early, with breaks of throw cancelling each other out until it stood at 5-5. Wade then found a 121 checkout on the bullseye and backed it up with a hold to move 8-5 ahead.

Searle broke back, but Wade answered with a 143 finish to restore his advantage at 9-7. From there, 'The Machine' held his throw and closed out the match on double 12. It's the kind of durability that has defined his 21st trip to Blackpool, and it now earns him a second successive year of facing Van Veen at this stage.

What Thursday's Quarter-Finals Hold

Quarter-final action resumes at the Winter Gardens on Thursday, with a later start of 7:30pm on Sky Sports Action and Main Event. Two of the four ties confirmed for the day are Luke Littler against Josh Rock - a replay of last year's semi-final epic at the same venue - and Gary Anderson against Dirk van Duijvenbode. Price will meet Smith, and Van Veen will meet Wade, in ties already set by Wednesday's results.

Wednesday's night, taken as a whole, is a useful reminder of how little control players have over the shape of a tournament. Price can win 11-5 and still say he needs to find another level. Van Veen and Nijman can trade a 26-leg classic that comes down to a single dart on double 16. And Three different routes into the last eight, and one route cut off before it could properly begin.

Research: Our wider editorial research consults online reporting from BBC Sport, Sky Sports, The Guardian and other reputable sources. Story inspiration: Sky Sports' original report.