Sports22 July, 20263 min read
Cameron Menzies Taken Ill During World Matchplay Second-Round Match Against Ross Smith in Blackpool
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Menzies led 2-1 against Ross Smith before becoming dizzy and requiring medical attention. The World Matchplay second-round match was paused and he withdrew due to illness.
Menzies taken ill
Cameron Menzies was taken ill during his World Matchplay second-round match against Ross Smith at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Wednesday, and the match was abandoned after he became unsteady on his feet and was guided safely off stage. The PDC said: "Cameron experienced high blood pressure, which caused him to feel dizzy and subsequently faint," and it later confirmed he was cleared by medics backstage but was unable to return to the stage to continue. With Menzies leading 2-1, Smith progressed to the quarter-finals as a result, and the next match between Gian van Veen and Wessel Nijman started shortly after the break in play.
In the same World Matchplay session, seventh seed Gerwyn Price knocked out Ross Cross with an 11-5 win after winning six legs in a row from 2-3 down, and World number three Gian van Veen booked his quarter-final spot by beating Wessel Nijman 14-12 in a tie-break. Sixth seed James Wade completed the last-eight line-up with an 11-8 victory over Ryan Searle, setting up a quarter-final against Van Veen after Wade’s 14th Matchplay quarter-final appearance.
PDC statement and reaction
The PDC’s statement on Cameron Menzies’ condition was repeated across coverage, saying he was "deemed well enough to return to his accommodation" after an assessment by the on-site medical team. Sky Sports’ Glen Durrant said: "I echo the thoughts of everybody; right now, it's all about Cameron Menzies," as the broadcast moved on after Menzies was unable to continue. Black Country Radio described Menzies as 2-1 up when he doubled over in discomfort, with Smith and match officials coming to his aid before the Scot received medical attention after being taken from the stage.
RTE.ie reported that Menzies was cleared by medics backstage but forced to forfeit the match because he was not able to continue, while the PDC confirmed the high blood pressure that caused him to feel dizzy and faint. After the withdrawal, Smith was set to face either Gerwyn Price or Rob Cross in the quarter-finals, with the BBC also listing the World Matchplay results that included Price’s 11-5 win and Van Veen’s 14-12 tie-break.
Quarter-finals set
The quarter-final line-up was set after Smith advanced by walkover, with the BBC listing "Smith won by walkover" in the match result table for Cameron Menzies 1-2 Ross Smith (15). The BBC also recorded that Gerwyn Price beat Rob Cross 11-5 to set up a quarter-final match with Smith, while Gian van Veen edged out Wessel Nijman 14-12 in a tie-break. James Wade’s 11-8 win over Ryan Searle completed the last-eight line-up, and the BBC said Wade will take on Van Veen in his 14th Matchplay quarter-final.
In the same coverage, the BBC’s Thursday schedule set quarter-final action at 20:00 BST, with Luke Littler v Josh Rock and Gary Anderson v Dirk van Duijvenbode listed for the next day. With the World Matchplay continuing after Menzies’ withdrawal, the PDC’s confirmation that he was deemed well enough to return to his accommodation remained the central medical update as the tournament moved into its quarter-final stage.