Sky Sports pundit Mark Webster looks ahead to the World Grand Prix semi-finals. Watch Gerwyn Price vs Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton vs Danny Noppert live on Friday night from 7pm on Sky Sports Arena
Saturday 9 October 2021 10:24, UK
It has been a week of upsets at the World Grand Prix in Leicester, with big names falling in the first round.
But we all expected Gerwyn Price to make the last four, and I'm not gobsmacked that Jonny Clayton is also there.
Danny Noppert has enjoyed a great run, but once he eliminated Michael van Gerwen, the draw opened up for the Dutchman.
Stephen Bunting is another who has enjoyed a fine run.
But the Grand Prix is designed to throw up surprises. The double-in format adds to the excitement, while the eight-seed system is another factor.
It will be fascinating to see if anyone can stop the Iceman from defending his title.
The top seed has made it through to the last four with minimal fuss.
The only time he had any difficulty was in the second round, when Mervyn King took the opening set. And he responded to that quickly to win 3-1.
Otherwise, he dealt with Michael Smith and Dave Chisnall in style.
He is the world No 1 for a reason, and top players can guide through a tournament just like he has done this week. It was not an easy draw, but he has dealt with it this week.
Having only dropped a set so far, this is where Price can come into his own. It's the back-end of a competition, where the games are coming thick and fast. He is a winner, and he will want to keep winning.
Jonny is right up there at the minute. His name might not carry the same weight as a Peter Wright, Michael van Gerwen or Gerwyn Price, but his game is getting there.
What a display to see off Krzysztof Ratajski. Despite the blunder of busting 134 which cost him a set, he still managed to dig deep and turn the game around. That's mental strength.
Jonny has levels. This week, I think he has looked as good as I have seen him. His finishing has been brilliant, and that got him over the line in what was a 50:50 battle with Ratajski.
He looks relaxed. He is at the semi-final stage. But he'll be dreaming of the all-Welsh final. He's not going to want to play Stephen Bunting. He's going to want to play Gerwyn Price. Granted, he has to do a job on Noppy first. But he's in a good place at the minute.
The Ferret never lets a bad run escalate into a terrible run. We saw that in the Premier League. He never let a bad performance spill into three or four games. That's what he's good at, and that's why he is one of the world's best players.
The Freeze will be as happy with the semi-final draw as Clayton.
If you get to the semi-final of a major and you are not up against any of the world's top four, you have to be thrilled.
Jonny Clayton represents a chance for Danny Noppert, and this is the best version of Danny Noppert we have seen in the PDC.
The Dutchman is giving as good as he's getting. There was some needle in his match with MVG, and he backed it up.
He is dispatching of good players with relative ease, dropping just one set so far in the tournament.
He has come of age this week. Whatever happens from here, he will leave Leicester knowing his career is on the up. He's in a good place.
I think Bunting will be playing with a bit more freedom than Noppert.
The former Lakeside champ gets a crack at the world No 1. I think he will be thinking that the job is done for this week.
I'm not saying he will have a defeatist attitude. He will go there relaxed, have a crack and see what happens. But it's a good tournament already for Stephen.
He has turned a corner over the last year. He had a rotten bit of luck not being able to compete in the 2020 Grand Prix, but has made amends this week.
I called it as soon as the first round was over: a Gerwyn Price vs Jonny Clayton final. I'm not going to withdraw from that.
It would be a great decider, and a final that not just Welsh people would want, but all darts fans.
Jonny can get to Gerwyn Price. I haven't seen him do it lately, but he has done it in the past.
Nothing against Stephen Bunting and Danny Noppert, but I hope that's the final we get.
Watch the World Grand Prix semi-finals live on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm Friday.
