Defending champion Luke Littler suffered a surprising first‑round defeat at the World Grand Prix in Leicester, bowing out 2‑1 to fellow Englishman Luke Woodhouse on a night that also saw six‑time champion Michael van Gerwen knocked out of the tournament. Littler started the match brightly, taking the opening set, but he was far from his usual clinical form. Woodhouse capitalised on several missed doubles, pushing the contest into a deciding leg after Littler’s early momentum stalled.
In the second set Woodhouse found his rhythm and did not look back, clinching the set and then sealing the third to complete what many commentators are already calling one of the biggest upsets in the history of the double‑in, double‑out format. The victory propelled Woodhouse into the second round, where he will meet former finalist Nathan Aspinall, who earned his place by edging Kevin Doets in a final‑leg decider on the opening night. After the match, Littler took to Instagram to acknowledge Woodhouse’s performance and to wish his opponent well for the remainder of the event.
He wrote: “Well played @lukewoodly180 – it was a good game, good to be a part of as well. Both hit, both missed but Luke took his chance and nice week off now, all the best to Luke for the rest of the tournament.” He then hinted at his plans for the weekend, noting that he would likely attend the Super League Grand Final on Saturday to support his beloved Warrington Wolves, an event that would have clashed with the Grand Prix semi‑finals. “May as well get myself to OT (Old Trafford) now I’m out. LETS GO THE WIRE @warringtonrlfc,” he added.
Woodhouse, buoyed by his upset win, praised Littler in the post‑match interview. “Luke’s not a robot. He’s going to have days and weeks where he’s not right on it,” Woodhouse said.
“But people keep echoing it and I’ll say it again – he’s one of a kind, Luke. I hope people take the time to appreciate how good he is and not give him a hard time. You might not see another Luke Littler ever again.” Elsewhere in the tournament, Michael van Gerwen’s hopes of securing a seventh World Grand Prix title were extinguished for a third consecutive year when Ryan Joyce rallied from a set down to defeat the Dutch star.
The loss added to a growing pattern of early exits for the former world number one, underscoring the depth of competition this year. Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, both former Grand Prix champions (2020 and 2021 respectively), progressed comfortably through their opening matches. Price delivered a standout performance, averaging 101.61 and dropping only a single leg in a convincing win over Sebastian Bialecki.
Clayton, however, faced a stern test from Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski; their match was one of six that went the full distance on the first night, highlighting the tournament’s fierce parity. Other notable moments included Cameron Menzies and Kevin Doets both missing match darts in their defeats to Ross Smith and Nathan Aspinall.
Menzies missed two darts at double tops before Smith swept him 3‑0 in the deciding set, while Doets squandered three match darts – including an errant bullseye – before Aspinall clinched a last‑leg victory in the third set. Danny Noppert burst out of the gates, stringing together five consecutive legs to dominate the early stages of his match.
However, Niko Springer staged a remarkable comeback, taking the second set 3‑0 and forcing a third set that eventually returned to normal service. Meanwhile, Wessel Nijman rounded off the evening with a routine 2‑0 win over former world champion Rob Cross, setting up a second‑round clash with Jonny Clayton. The tournament’s second round is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, followed by quarter‑finals on Friday, semi‑finals on Saturday, and the championship final on Sunday. Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event will broadcast live coverage from 6 pm on Tuesday, with daily updates leading up to the final.
In a human‑interest note, Ross Smith revealed that he almost withdrew from the World Grand Prix after a recent hospital stay. “I’ve had a week from hell,” Smith said after his first‑round victory.
“I came home, picked up some sort of virus and had a few heart issues as well. I was in hospital on Friday.
I thought I was pulling out of this event on Saturday, so just being here is an achievement in itself. To play and win like that, I’m very happy.” The early stages of the World Grand Prix have already produced a mix of shock results, impressive comebacks, and compelling personal stories, setting the stage for an exciting second round as the remaining competitors vie for a place in the coveted final.