For one night at the Winter Gardens, Cameron Menzies turned a tough opening question into the biggest answer of his career. He beat Luke Humphries 10-7 at the World Matchplay, finished it with a 170 checkout, and then heard Wayne Mardle describe it as his best ever win.
That is not the kind of result that just advances a player into the next round. It changes the tone of the tournament. Humphries arrived as the 2024 champion and world No 2, but Menzies found a way through the pressure and sent him out in the first round in Blackpool.
The match was not tidy, and that was part of the point. Menzies led 7-3, then had to survive a spell where nerves clearly began to bite. He said he was trying not to think about the finishing line, but the tension still crept in. That is what made the ending more revealing than the score alone: he did not cruise home, he held on to a lead that kept being tested.
Why this win matters
Wayne Mardle’s assessment underlined the scale of what Menzies had done. “It’s his best ever win, and he mentioned that,” Mardle said, while adding that people often talk about Menzies’ emotions, but this was about the way he had to win the game. That distinction matters. Upsets are one thing; winning one under pressure, against a proven title winner, is another.
Menzies also admitted the significance of the result, saying he finally won a game at the Winter Gardens after believing no one gave him hope. He called Humphries a great guy and a great player, and added that Humphries gave him a lot of stress at doubles. In the end, though, Menzies had the sharper finish and the stronger moment when it counted.
The match swung through a long stretch of pressure, including six consecutive breaks of throw and a 129 finish that kept the tension alive. Humphries even produced a 167 checkout to stay in touch, but Menzies answered with a four-leg burst that pushed him clear at 7-3 before Humphries could eventually recover some ground.
What comes next is straightforward enough: Menzies moves on to a second-round match against Ross Smith. But the larger takeaway is bigger than the draw. At the World Matchplay in Blackpool, on Monday night, Menzies did more than beat the defending champion. He proved he can survive the kind of night that usually belongs to the established names.
Sky Sports said the World Matchplay was live in Blackpool until July 26, but this result will already linger. Not just because of the upset, but because of how complete it felt: a big name gone, a huge checkout to finish, and a player who might have just found the best win of his life.
