Michael van Gerwen saw his campaign to retain the World Series of Darts Finals crown come to an abrupt halt in the very first round, falling 6-5 to Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney after a nail‑biting finish. The Dutch star had been leading 5-4 and even created six match‑dart opportunities, but Gurney steadied himself when it mattered most, forcing a deciding leg that he ultimately won despite a chorus of boos and whistles from the Amsterdam supporters. This defeat marks only the second occasion that van Gerwen has been knocked out in his opening match at this particular tournament, adding another disappointment to what has already been a challenging 2026 season for the three‑time world champion.
"It was really hard work. I can't remember the last time I won on a major stage," Gurney admitted after the victory, noting that his recent performances on television have been inconsistent, with the exception of his strong showings in the World Cup of Darts. Gurney explained the tension of the final leg: "I put my darts away twice because Michael had six match darts. In all honesty, I was very lucky to even go 5‑5 and I had the throw.
I was like, 'please, I need trebles.'" His composure under pressure proved decisive as he seized the moment to clinch the match. The Irishman had not originally qualified for the event; he entered the field only after visa complications forced the withdrawal of the Philippines' representatives, Alexis Toylo and Lourence Ilagan. The tournament's reserve list promoted the highest‑ranked alternates, Maik Kuivenhoven of the Netherlands and Gurney, allowing them to fill the vacant slots. The contest between van Gerwen and Gurney began with Gurney surging to a 3‑0 lead, during which the Dutchman failed to hit a single double.
Van Gerwen then rallied spectacularly, taking five consecutive legs and appearing to be on course for a comeback victory. However, Gurney halted the momentum at 5‑4, and when van Gerwen missed six match darts, the Irishman broke serve, held his nerve, and secured the final leg to advance to the second round where he will meet Ross Smith, who earlier dispatched Kevin Doets 6‑3. Other first‑round action on Thursday featured a host of dramatic encounters.
England's Luke Humphries edged out Dutch competitor Jermaine Wattimena 6‑4 after a thrilling exchange of legs. The opening four legs were split evenly before Humphries produced a spectacular 132 checkout – two bullseyes followed by a double 16 – to take the lead.
Despite missing eight match darts at 5‑3, Humphries eventually closed out the match, later missing three additional darts in the subsequent leg but still managing to prevail. His next opponent will be Dirk van Duijvenbode in the Saturday afternoon second round; van Duijvenbode himself had rallied from a 4‑1 deficit to beat Sweden's Viktor Tingstrom 6‑4.
In another upset, Josh Rock recovered from a 5‑4 deficit to defeat Stephen Bunting 6‑5, winning the final three legs after Bunting failed to hit his match darts. Rock's reward is a second‑round clash with Ryan Searle, who comfortably beat Rob Cross 6‑2 earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, Gian van Veen dispatched Chris Dobey 6‑2, and Karel Sedlacek overcame Ben Robb 6‑4 in the remaining matches. The tournament will continue on Friday with the conclusion of the opening round, featuring high‑profile names such as Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, James Wade and Nathan Aspinall.
Littler, who has captured every major title available to him this year, will be looking to add a second World Series of Darts Finals crown to his résumé. For fans wishing to follow the action, the organizers recommend using the Chrome browser to ensure optimal video playback.
The full schedule for Thursday, September 17, included the following results: Viktor Tingstrom 4‑6 Dirk van Duijvenbode, Rob Cross 2‑6 Ryan Searle, Karel Sedlacek 6‑4 Ben Robb, Kevin Doets 3‑6 Ross Smith, Stephen Bunting 5‑6 Josh Rock, Luke Humphries 6‑4 Jermaine Wattimena, Michael van Gerwen 5‑6 Daryl Gurney, Gian van Veen 6‑2 Chris Dobey. Looking ahead, the World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 28 through October 4, with streaming available via NOW – a contract‑free service that can be cancelled at any time.