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World Grand Prix darts: Quarter-final predictions, odds, betting tips, accas, order of play & TV times

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Thu October 10, 2019 · 5y ago

Our guide for Thursday night's quarter-finals at the Boylesports World Grand Prix includes the order of play, match-by-match predictions, stats and a suggested acca.

World Grand Prix draw, schedule & TV guide
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Just eight players remain in the quest to win the PDC's double-start major and they're all in action tonight including Michael van Gerwen, Glen Durrant and Dave Chisnall.

Here I'll run through all four matches with my suggested accas listed at the bottom.

World Grand Prix: Thursday October 10

Click on the odds for more Sky Bet match markets

TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 BST)
Quarter-Finals: Best of 5 sets, players must start and finish all legs on a double/bullseye

Ian White (1/2) v Chris Dobey (13/8)

Head-to-head: 2-1
2019 Meetings: 1-0
PDC Titles this season: 2-0
Career PDC Titles: 12-0

Is this finally 'the' week for Ian White?

Even if it's not - in terms of lifting a major trophy - Diamond can at least achieve a crucial milestone in his career by reaching his first televised semi-final, although tonight's he's facing a man 20 years his junior attempting the same feat.

White is appearing in his eighth big quarter-final but first since the 2017 UK Open so he may well be feeling the pressure as he strives to show the wider sporting world what he's capable of at the oche.

This has obviously been one of his best seasons yet, picking up two European Tour titles as well as reaching four other finals on the circuit but can he hold his nerves together this time?

After a fine win over Michael Smith, he said: "I wanted to get towards the latter stages to give myself a chance and I'm glad I'm still going. It's coming up to the end of the year so every major tournament is big and I want to prove to everyone that I can play up there."

I always worry he's concerned too much about 'proving' his ability rather than doing it for himself, but I guess the media has to take some blame for posing that "can Ian White do it on TV" question over and over again!

Dobey hasn't had those types of questions asked yet and he'll never have to if he can get the job done this week, and who's to say he can't after knocking out Gary Anderson two nights ago?

His experiences during a fine World Championship run last year as well as two prior runs to major quarter finals means he won't suffer any kind of stage fright, while he doesn't have anywhere near the same mental blocks and scars as his opponent. So let's go for the minor 'upset'.

Prediction: 2-3

Dave Chisnall (10/11) v Nathan Aspinall (10/11)

Head-to-head: 3-3
2019 Meetings: 2-1
PDC Titles this season: 3-2
Career Senior PDC Titles: 16-3

Is this finally 'the' week for...Dave Chisnall?

If you thought Ian White might get frustrated with the constant talk about whether he can one day 'do it' on TV, just imagine how Chizzy must feel at the top of the sport for so long without a major title!

He's too nice a guy to feel much envy - but it must be a bitter pill to swallow to see younger players like Nathan Aspinall manage to bag two televised titles in one year - including the UK Open - so early in their careers and escape a similar kind of journey full of doubts and battle scars.

I'm as desperate as the next darts fan to see Chisnall, backed on these pages at 50/1 pre-tournament, finally get his hands on a trophy his talents and entertainment factor so dearly deserves and I've always thought the double-start format of this event could help him when matches get pressurised.

Why? Because as we saw in his matches against Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting, opponents can just as easily cave in under pressure and help calm Chizzy's nerves.

Price, despite averaging a lot less than the impressive St Helens man throughout, had somehow stolen the advantage to throw first in the deciding leg of the match only to miss nine darts at an opening double.

Then Bunting contrived to spurn 43 starting doubles and 10 of his 13 attempts to finish as Chizzy dismantled him 3-0 having trailed 2-0 in the opening set.

As well as Aspinall, who also won the US Darts Masters this season, has been playing, I've just got to stick with his opponent in what promises to be a thrilling match up.

Prediction: 3-1

Michael van Gerwen (1/7) v Mervyn King (9/2)

Head-to-head: 29-12
2019 Meetings: 2-1
PDC Titles this season: 10-0
Career PDC Titles: 125-11

Is this finally 'the' week for...Mervyn King!?

I wouldn't go as far as saying The King is getting better with age - although some may disagree - but at 53-years-old he's certainly not going away any time soon and continually proves he has the game to beat anyone.

The Norfolk thrower of course dumped MVG out of the UK Open earlier this year and then did the same to Gary Anderson at the World Matchplay, before upsetting smaller odds against Dimitri Van den Bergh and James Wade earlier this week.

King would be fuming to hear anyone describe those results as shocks so I better clarify that I am just referring to the fact his opponents were odds-on.

It's a fine achievement that he's never failed to qualify for this major since his first appearance in 2007 but that's because he's never given up on his quest to win a maiden televised PDC title.

He's been five time runner-up in PDC majors before although I'm just not sure he'll get any further this week once he comes up against the man who beat him in the 2012 final here.

Michael van Gerwen laid down a serious marker in his quest to win a fifth World Grand Prix title by thrashing Jeffrey de Zwaan 3-0 in double quick time for the loss of just two legs.

The defending champion was brutal against Jeffrey de Zwaan as he looks to keep those doubters firmly in their place with a fifth TV title of the season having also scooped the Masters, Premier League, Melbourne Masters and New Zealand Masters.

Even if there's no upset, we should expect it to be a fiery contest, with MVG branding King a 'disgrace to darts' during a floor tournament this season which preceded that revengeful victory in Minehead a month later.

MVG did win their last encounter on the European Tour but there's no way King will be intimidated tonight.

Prediction: 3-2

Michael van Gerwen branded Mervyn King a "disgrace to darts" last time they met for "not even trying to beat me".

King may have taken that criticism on board tonight...and got revenge!pic.twitter.com/Gtdf7AtjTv
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) March 1, 2019

Glen Durrant (4/9) v Jermaine Wattimena (7/4)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 2-0
Career PDC Titles: 2-0

Is this finally...no, it doesn't work for this match.

Glen Durrant's maiden PDC season is going so well that the novelty of reaching major quarter-finals has seemingly already worn off despite this being just his second since earning his Tour Card back in January while his two victories over Krzysztof Ratajski and World Matchplay champion Rob Cross hasn't really caught many by surprise. If any.

That's obviously not to take anything away from the three-time BDO world champion, and even he himself cut a rather subdued figure after his thrilling victory over Voltage, claiming he wasn't happy with how he's played.

Now he's a very warm favourite to match his fairytale run to the World Matchplay semi-finals, when he meets a player competing in his first individual major quarter-final.

Not only did Jermaine Wattimena come from a set down against the in-form Peter Wright, but he did so in impressive fashion before breaking down in tears after his moment of glory.

I can only see one winner here, especially if Durrant raises his game to a level that satisfies him more, although the Machine Gun is clearly dangerous enough to nick a set or two.

Prediction: 3-1