Will “The Iceman” secure another shot at the title?

While “The Iceman” is regaining his former form in Blackpool, the Dutch runner-up has practically cheated his way into the semifinals. “The Giant” posted an average of just 93.04 in the quarterfinals against James Wade, a match in which the 24-year-old threw only four 180s in his 16-13 victory. Therefore, in the match between Gerwyn Price and Gian van Veen, our pick is the Welshman, who showed mental resilience and, against Ross Smith, conjured up a nerve-of-steel 121 finish on the bullseye just when the match was on the verge of turning around.

It should be noted, however, that Gian van Veen also displayed a remarkable winner’s mentality. Despite weak scoring—none of the other seven players in the quarterfinals came anywhere close to such a low average—his strong checkout rate of 55.2 percent ultimately saved him. Although we don’t expect a high-scoring game from “The Giant” this time either, we wouldn’t categorically rule out the possibility that he’ll somehow hold his own again. Against this backdrop, a particularly interesting prediction for the Gerwyn Price vs. Gian van Veen match is that the Dutchman will throw a maximum of seven 180s, regardless of the outcome of the match.

Generally speaking, however, the recent performances by the resurgent Welshman have been so dominant that we could well imagine Gerwyn Price reaching the final of a PDC Major tournament for the first time since the 2023 World Grand Prix.

Gerwyn Price – Gian van Veen Head-to-Head Record

Head-to-Head: 13:3

A total of 16 matches have taken place between the two players so far, and with 13 wins, Gerwyn Price holds a very clear lead in their head-to-head record. This Welsh-Dutch matchup was one of the most frequent in the 2026 Premier League. The two players faced off in seven weeks, with runner-up world champion Gian van Veen coming out on the losing end in five of those seven matches—including the last two.

Gerwyn Price – Gian van Veen Prediction

Both players have struggled with inconsistency so far this year. While Gerwyn Price has won only one PDC Major tournament since his world title in 2021 and hasn’t reached a major final in nearly three years, World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen has yet to prove that he can consistently compete with the world’s best.
Although his checkout efficiency was outstanding in the quarterfinals, the 24-year-old himself acknowledged late Friday evening in an interview following his narrow 16-13 victory over James Wade that an average of just 93.04 likely won’t be enough in the semifinals.

Ultimately, the head-to-head record also favors the Welshman, even though “The Iceman” has only been able to tap into his potential sporadically over the past three years. Therefore, regardless of the match’s outcome, the best value bet is that the Dutchman will score no more than seven 180s. He already managed only four maximums in his quarterfinal against James Wade.