2021 World Matchplay: Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton set up second-round meeting

Gerwyn Price’s win over Jermaine Wattimena saw him reach the second round for the first time since 2016

Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price will meet in the second round of the 2021 World Matchplay after winning their opening matches in Blackpool.

World number one Price, 36, won 10-4 against Jermaine Wattimena, while 2021 Premier League champion Clayton, 46, beat Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-7.

After seeing off their Dutch opponents, the pair will now meet on Tuesday night in an all-Welsh affair.

Clayton has never reached round two, while Price’s last visit was in 2016.

Price was playing for the first time in front of fans since November 2019 and since winning the World Championship, but was greeted by boos from the reduced capacity crowd.

“It’s nice to have them back. Even though they are booing it makes me concentrate a lot more,” said Price.

“It is what it is but it’s good without the boos, but if they are there it makes me play a little better.

“Me and Jonny are really good friends but on that board it’s completely different. We are both out there to win and we are going to give it 100%.

“It’s going to be a good game and if I’m not on my A game then it could be a bad result for me, but if I’m playing my best hopefully I will win.”

Jonny Clayton won at the World Matchplay for the first time in his career

Council plasterer Clayton was delighted to finally break his World Matchplay duck after previous disappointments.

“It’s brilliant after four years to finally get through to the second round for the first time,” he said.

“It won’t be an easy game but at least there will be a Welshman in the quarter-finals. I’m looking forward to it.”

Clayton walked on as the Premier League champion for the first time and said it was a special moment, adding: “It’s was a feeling I will never forget, it meant so much to me.”

Elsewhere in the draw, Dimitri van den Bergh got the defence of his World Matchplay title off to an impressive start with a 10-5 win over Devon Petersen.

The 27-year-old produced a big shock 12 months ago to claim glory at the competition as a debutant and progressed into the second round after hitting six maximums on his first appearance at the Winter Gardens.

The coronavirus pandemic forced last year’s tournament to be played behind closed doors and moved from its usual venue in Blackpool to the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

Dave Chisnall will face the Belgian next after he was able to avenge his round-one exit to Vincent van der Voort from last year with a 10-8 triumph over the same opponent.

Before the opening-day action got under way, the late BDO world champion Andy Fordham, who died on Thursday, was remembered and received a round of applause from those in attendance before his name was chanted.