By Tom Prosser
Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton won the World Cup of Darts as a team last year but tonight they are set to do battle in the last 16 of the prestigious World Matchplay tournament in Blackpool.
This match not only brings two Welshman together but two of the most in-form players in the world on current form.
Price is the world number one and current world champion whilst Clayton has won both the Masters and the Premier League within the last six months.
“Me and Jonny are really good friends but on that board it’s completely different. We are both out there to win and we are going to give it 100%,” said Price who hails from Markham near Caerphilly.
“It’s going to be a good game and if I’m not on my A game then it could be a bad result for me, but if I’m playing my best hopefully I will win.”
Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price will meet in the second round of the 2021 World Matchplay after winning their opening matches in Blackpool.
🎯 https://t.co/5eiE74bUIM pic.twitter.com/oKIiky5ae4— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) July 18, 2021
Before his first round tie on Saturday, Clayton had never won a game at the Matchplay so he was delighted to put that right.
“It’s brilliant after four years to finally get through to the second round for the first time,” said Clayton.
“It won’t be an easy game but at least there will be a Welshman in the quarter-finals. I’m looking forward to it.”
Despite, Clayton winning those two titles, he is still only ranked 16 in the world as the Masters and Premier League don’t count towards the world rankings, that’s why Price and Clayton are meeting at a relatively early stage in the tournament.
Both men played their first round matches on Saturday and will have genuine hopes to go all the way in this historic major.
Price beat Jermaine Wattimena 10-4 with several ton-plus checkouts and Jonny Clayton claimed a deserved 10-7 victory over Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.