Defending champion Luke Littler suffered a first-round exit at the World Grand Prix in Leicester after losing 2-1 to Luke Woodhouse, while six-time tournament winner Michael van Gerwen was also eliminated on opening night.
Luke Woodhouse Pulls Off Upset Against Champion Luke Littler
Luke Littler won the opening set of his title defense but failed to maintain his momentum as Luke Woodhouse recovered. Following the loss, Littler posted on Instagram: “Well played @lukewoodly180 was a good game, good one to be apart of aswell. Both hit, both missed but Luke took his chance and nice week off now, all the best to Luke for rest of tournament.” Woodhouse advances to face Nathan Aspinall in the second round.
Michael Van Gerwen Suffers Third Consecutive Opening-Round Exit
Michael van Gerwen experienced another early exit at the World Grand Prix, marking his third-straight first-round loss in the tournament. Ryan Joyce overturned a first-set deficit to defeat the six-time champion 2-1.
Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton Secure Opening Night Victories
Welsh former champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton advanced past their respective opponents on the opening night of competition. Price delivered a dominant performance against Sebastian Bialecki, dropping only a single leg and hitting two 120 checkouts in a 2-0 victory. Clayton faced a tougher challenge against Krzysztof Ratajski in a match that went the distance before the 2021 winner secured the result.
First-Round Results and Schedule
The opening night featured six matches that required a deciding set. Ross Smith eliminated Cameron Menzies 2-1 after Menzies missed two opportunities at tops in the deciding set. Nathan Aspinall overcame Kevin Doets 2-1 in a final-leg decider after Doets missed three match darts, including a miss at the bullseye. Danny Noppert opened the evening by defeating Niko Springer 2-1.
- Danny Noppert 2-1 Niko Springer
- Ross Smith 2-1 Cameron Menzies
- Nathan Aspinall 2-1 Kevin Doets
- Jonny Clayton 2-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Gerwyn Price 2-0 Sebastian Bialecki
- Ryan Joyce 2-1 Michael van Gerwen
- Luke Woodhouse 2-1 Luke Littler
Tournament coverage continues with day two of the World Grand Prix broadcast live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event.