Fallon Sherrock was a late qualifier under dubious circumstances. She won the Women’s World Matchplay back in July but at the time there was no mention of the winner getting a spot at Alexandra Palace.
Beau Greaves played the last 8 of the Women’s Series events and won all 8 securing her spot in the World Championships and at the time made it look like Fallon was missing out but that wasn’t to be the case. With one qualifier spot for the World Championships still undecided the PDC made the somewhat controversial decision to change the criteria of the Women’s World Matchplay and starting this year the winner would get a place in the Worlds. You’d wonder if this was going to happen if it was anyone else…
MVG is the clear favorite according to the odds compilers and on current form you couldn’t really argue with that.
The standard on the tour this year has gone up a notch and I think Noppert @ 33s is a value bet. Rock was 200/1 at the start of the year and his recent performances have seen him made a 16/1 shot for the title.
Probably one of the most interesting ties of the first round will be the 3rd game on Friday night where Beau Greaves takes on Willie O’Connor. When the draw was made WOC was 1/3 to beat Greaves but Beau has been doing untold on the WDF events winning 15 WDF events this year. She won the WDF World Masters yesterday and didn’t drop a leg until the semi finals.
She won the final 6-0 taking out 108 and 121. The betting currently sees Beau 2/1 and WOC 2/5. All the pressure will be on Willie you’d think, Beau has nothing to lose and will be glad of the opportunity and the guaranteed £7,500 if she goes out in the first round. If she does beat Willie I’d fancy her to beat Clemens in round 2.
I will make my prediction before the action starts on Thursday.
Potential last 16 meeting between Raymond van Barneveld and Richie Burnett. That would be a repeat pairing of the two classic World Championship finals of 1995 and 1998.
Clayton has a poor year after an exceptional one in 2021. Didnt do half bad in one of the recent players championship though and will mostly outperform his odds. His match with Smith last year was almost final standard.
