Gary Anderson reminded Blackpool why his ceiling remains so high: a 10-2 victory over Ryan Joyce, an average of 109.96, and two finishes of 144 and 141 to deliver one of the most polished performances of the early stages of the 2026 World Matchplay.
The highlight of the day is this: at 55, Anderson didn’t just win his first-round match. According to the PDC, he posted the eighth-highest average in the history of the World Matchplay. For a player who has often scaled back his schedule this season, the message is clear: if he maintains this level of form, no one will want to face him too early on at the Winter Gardens.
The official PDC clip sums up the match perfectly: Anderson was all over Ryan Joyce almost from the start.
OH GARY GARY! That was simply sensational! Gary Anderson averages 109.96 to demolish Ryan Joyce 10-2 and storm through to round two at the World Matchplay! 📺 https://t.co/xXnQhVoUPy July 20, 2026
Anderson has put Blackpool on edge
Let’s not beat about the bush: that sort of average immediately changes the way you look at the draw. Joyce wasn’t just beaten; he was overwhelmed by Anderson’s pace and finishing quality. The consecutive 144 and 141 finishes sum up the tone of the match quite well: when he had the opening, the Scot struck hard, fast, and without giving his opponent much breathing space.
Anderson himself summed up the feeling after the match: some days it feels as though you could throw with your eyes closed and hit everything. This was one of those days. The comment rings particularly true because it perfectly captures the match. The statistics don’t tell the story of an evening carried by a single hot spell, but of almost complete dominance, from scoring right through to the doubles.
This result also puts Anderson back in an interesting position. He no longer has the schedule of a player chasing every ranking event, but he retains that ability to produce a top-class session on the big stage. At the World Matchplay, where the format quickly becomes more gruelling and the pressure mounts with every match, that’s no small matter.
An Anderson v Clayton clash in the second round
The reward will be immediate: Jonny Clayton awaits Anderson in the second round on Tuesday evening. The Welshman beat Damon Heta 10–7, having led 8–3 before holding off the Australian’s comeback. Once again, the final 144 finish sealed the deal at just the right moment.
Clayton spoke of a clash between old hands, and that is precisely what makes this fixture so intriguing. Anderson comes into the match on the back of Sunday’s most spectacular performance. Clayton comes in with a victory that was less comfortable than the initial score suggested, but solid enough to confirm that he remains a very dangerous opponent in this tournament. On Tuesday, it will be less a straightforward second-round match and more a real test of consistency for Anderson.
The draw has also become much tighter around them. Michael van Gerwen has already had to overcome Andrew Gilding, whilst Dirk van Duijvenbode, Gian van Veen, Wessel Nijman, James Wade and Ryan Searle have all secured their places in the next round. Put another way: the bottom half of the draw is full of pitfalls.
Sunday’s results at the 2026 World Matchplay
The second day confirmed one thing: Blackpool doesn’t give players much time to ease into the tournament. Between Van Duijvenbode’s tie-break, Van Gerwen’s comeback and Anderson’s masterclass, the session has already set the stage for some exciting match-ups ahead.
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Dirk van Duijvenbode v Chris Dobey | 13–11 |
| Gary Anderson v Ryan Joyce | 10–2 |
| Michael van Gerwen v Andrew Gilding | 10–6 |
| Jonny Clayton v Damon Heta | 10–7 |
| Ryan Searle v William O’Connor | 10–6 |
| James Wade v Jermaine Wattimena | 10–7 |
| Gian van Veen v Krzysztof Ratajski | 10–6 |
| Wessel Nijman v Dave Chisnall | 10–5 |
Why this average matters now
An average of 109.96 in the first round obviously doesn’t win the trophy. But it changes the atmosphere surrounding Anderson. Before Blackpool, the main question centred on his competitive form and his ability to produce big performances over a full week. After this start, the question becomes simpler: who can cope with this level of play if he returns on Tuesday?
The answer will come soon enough. Anderson versus Clayton is a second-round match with the intensity of a quarter-final or semi-final. And if the Scot can maintain even a fraction of that precision, the 2026 World Matchplay may well have gained a much more serious dark horse than anticipated.
The rest of the first round takes place on Monday evening, featuring Ross Smith v Kevin Doets, Gerwyn Price v Martin Schindler, Luke Humphries v Cameron Menzies and Danny Noppert v Rob Cross. Sky Sports has also put this day’s action into the wider context of the session, with Wade, Van Veen, Nijman, Van Gerwen and Anderson all through to the second round.
