Gurney involved in heated exchange with Price

# Price and Gurney clash Amidst Thrilling World ⁣Matchplay Opening Round

The World matchplay in Blackpool delivered immediate drama as Gerwyn ⁣Price and Daryl Gurney were involved in a heated exchange following the Welshman’s hard-fought 10-7 victory in their⁣ first-round encounter. The tension on stage was palpable after the final dart,with a robust handshake between the two players quickly escalating into a verbal spat.

## Price Secures Tense Victory, Gurney’s Celebrations Spark Controversy

Gerwyn Price, the 2022 finalist, ultimately prevailed in a match that saw momentum swings. The Welshman established an early 6-2 lead, but Daryl Gurney, the‍ Northern Irishman, fought back impressively, even mimicking Price’s signature fist-pump festivity after⁢ winning a⁢ leg to ⁣narrow⁣ the gap. Gurney came within a single dart ⁤of levelling the score at 8-8, but Price held his nerve to close out the win on double 12, securing his passage to the ⁤next round.

The post-match interaction,captured by Sky Sports Darts,highlighted the intensity of the contest. Gurney appeared to take issue with Price’s celebrations on stage, leading to the heated exchange that has become a talking ⁢point of the tournament’s opening stages.

It’s all getting a bit heated on ⁣stage⁣ 👀

Gerwyn Price beats Daryl Gurney After a Thrilling Contest‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/uEaTKrmf3d

— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) July 21,2025

## Josh Rock’s Dominant Performance and Revenge Mission

In contrast to the Price-Gurney drama,Josh Rock,Gurney’s compatriot and recent World Cup of Darts winner,delivered a ⁣commanding performance. Rock dispatched 14th seed Ross Smith with ‍a decisive 10-5⁣ victory. The young Northern Irishman ‍was in blistering form, reeling off the first five legs without Smith getting a look at a double. Rock’s ⁤exceptional display was capped with⁤ an extraordinary 104 average, avenging his first-round ⁣exit to the same opponent in last year’s tournament.

## Van Gerwen Grinds Out Win,Dobey Advances Smoothly

Rock’s next opponent will be ⁢three-time World Matchplay champion Michael van⁣ Gerwen. The Dutch superstar was⁢ far from his vintage best but managed to overcome his veteran compatriot Raymond van Barneveld with a 10-6 victory. Van Gerwen admitted to making the game more difficult than it needed to be, citing ⁤a lack of⁣ recent tournament play as a contributing factor. “I made it so difficult for myself and when you make it difficult it’s a hard game,” Van Gerwen told Sky Sports. “From the position I’m coming from, I didn’t play a lot of tournaments, and that makes it hard. we all⁤ know I’m a winner, I⁤ hate losing, and I think it’s the start of something nice.”

Elsewhere on the third day of ⁢the tournament, sixth seed Chris Dobey made⁣ a strong start, pulling away to secure a comfortable 10-5 win over Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko.Dobey’s consistent performance sets him up as a contender as the tournament progresses.