World Matchplay 2021: Peter Wright beats Michael van Gerwen to reach final

Peter Wright is bidding for his first World Matchplay title having lost in final to Phil Taylor in 2017

Peter Wright produced a superb display to beat three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen and join Dimitri van den Bergh in the final of the 2021 World Matchplay in Blackpool.

World number two Wright averaged over 110 on his way to a 17-10 victory.

Defending champion Van den Bergh beat Krzysztof Ratajski 17-9 in Saturday’s other semi-final.

Van den Bergh recovered from 4-1 and 6-4 down to reach Sunday’s best-of-35-legs final.

Wright started superbly against Van Gerwen, averaging 113.52 to open up a 4-1 lead.

The high standards continued in what became a classic encounter, Wright firing a 149 finish and two 121s on his way to an emphatic win.

Earlier in the evening, Van den Bergh reeled off seven successive legs to turn a match he had trailed on its head.