Michael van Gerwen’s World Matchplay campaign came to an end on Wednesday evening after a defeat to Josh Rock in the last 16. However, the match was not without controversy.
During a pivotal moment in the game, Van Gerwen committed an action that is technically against the rules — an infraction that went unnoticed by the referee. Video footage clearly shows the illegitimate move, yet no sanction was given.
Dutch commentator Jacques Nieuwlaat, covering the match for Viaplay, was quick to point out the oversight. He remarked that had Kirk Bevins been officiating, Van Gerwen would not have gotten away with it. Ware is renowned for his strict adherence to the rulebook and would likely have intervened in this instance.
Vincent van der Voort, Van Gerwen’s close friend and fellow Dutch professional, is no stranger to similar incidents. Van der Voort has been reprimanded on multiple occasions for such infractions, which only underscores how fortunate Van Gerwen was to escape punishment this time.
Nonetheless, Van Gerwen’s focus was solely on securing victory, but that objective ultimately slipped through his fingers. Despite Rock offering several opportunities for Van Gerwen to seize control, a costly error at a critical juncture allowed Rock to regain the upper hand and close out the match.
James Wade got a lot of critism for this moment but then his happened
After the game between James Wade and Gian van Veen The Machine received a lot of critism for ignoring the Dutchman. But there was another moment right after that which wasn’t broadcasted and this is shown on this video footage.
As a result, only one Dutch player remains in the tournament, despite a surprisingly strong showing from the Netherlands in the opening round.
All eyes now turn to Gian van Veen, who will face James Wade on Thursday evening in a bid to reach the semi-finals. The challenge is formidable; Wade is currently in excellent form and will be a tough opponent to overcome.
Van Veen, however, has already proven his mettle, having dispatched both Luke Humphries and Danny Noppert earlier in the tournament. The 23-year-old will look to continue his giant-killing run by toppling ‘The Machine’ and keeping Dutch hopes alive.
The match is scheduled to be the first of the evening session.