Worlds post 9/8 - the last 16 bit

Yeah that title is silly, but it's that time of the year. I've picked out who I think will make the last sixteen in each of the previous posts, now let's try and call it from that stage onwards.

Littler 4-1 Cross - Love Rob's game but he's a clear tier below the people that are a clear tier below Littler. He's got enough to win a set maybe so I'll call him to get one, but that I think is probably the limit.

Price 4-3 Dobey - This could be an absolute fantastic game. Price has won it before, Dobey has gone deep before, they're both playing at a very high level, but I think Gerwyn has just that little bit more.

Bunting 4-2 Searle - Ryan's a very good player, but Stephen's just that level above. Not that far above that he'll just shut Searle out, who I think's got more than enough to keep this fairly close, but Stephen has this.

Clayton 4-3 Smith - These two look so evenly matched based on the year long stats, there's basically nothing to choose between the two. Maybe Ross has an explosive set at the right time and nicks it, but I think Clayton's greater experience in these sorts of situations will see him through.

Humphries 4-2 Aspinall - Don't think Luke will be in serious trouble here, Nathan has got a lot, lot closer to his best this season, but his best is going to be a chunk off of Humphries' normal game.

van Veen 4-2 Wade - Gian's just going to keep on rolling here, Wade will probably have a set or two where he's just steady out in fifteen repeatedly and do enough, but van Veen is just a clearly better player.

Wattimena 4-2 O'Connor - Jermaine has just been putting up convincingly better darts in 2025 than Willie has, and I've already been somewhat controversial in putting him through to this stage in the first place. Game will probably be a bit of a lower level than the others, and I think that it'd be swingy enough to stay moderately close.

Rock 4-1 Noppert - There's not many players who would be able to blow apart Danny's high level consistent play. Josh is one of those players and should push on to the quarter finals with relative ease.

Littler 5-3 Price - These have already had one really close game this season at the Grand Prix, and their Players Championship game was also pretty close. Price is one of those players in that group behind Littler, this might be one where it gets to about 2-2 before Luke pulls away.

Bunting 5-3 Clayton - Think that Stephen will properly avenge their Matchplay game here. Jonny is not that far behind statistically, but there's enough of a differential that I can't look past Bunting, almost said 5-2 but I think Clayton might keep it a bit closer.

van Veen 5-4 Humphries - Got to go with the previous results. Luke's got the better numbers, but it's only slightly, so I'm thinking that Gian completely having Humphries' number this season will continue and van Veen pushes through to the semis.

Rock 5-1 Wattimena - If this plays out as it has for Jermaine then it's been a fine run, but this looks about the natural limit, Josh has been in this sort of situation a lot more all year and there is a pretty signifigant difference in numbers, so I think this is the closest we get to a blowout in this round.

Littler 6-2 Bunting - In a repeat of last year's semi final, I think Bunting keeps things a bit closer - but not much closer. That one didn't feel like a 6-1 game, but it's hard to think that if this half goes to seedings that Stephen gets much more out of the game. Maybe 6-3 I could agree with.

Rock 6-4 van Veen - In terms of the raw numbers, these are very close, and in terms of the number of times they've both been deep in majors, it's pretty even as well. More or less can't be separated as third favourite for the tournament either. But I'm thinking that maybe Gian has a harder run catch up to him, and that he's not really done anything at all at this venue prior to this event also catches up to him. Josh has just been around for that little bit longer and I think that counts for just enough.

Littler 7-4 Rock - I really, really cannot look past Luke defending his title (although, as indicated in a previous post, I would not be touching him outright at what is now odds on more or less everywhere). Josh has way too much talent for this to be a blowout, but Luke is on a different level to everyone right now and over a very long format match like this, there is just too long for Littler to be able to rectify things should he get in a hole early.

Next up - round one projections.