Defending champion Luke Littler suffered a surprising first‑round loss at the World Grand Prix, bowing out 2‑1 to England’s Luke Woodhouse in Leicester. The upset came on the same evening that six‑time champion Michael van Gerwin was also eliminated, making for a night of unexpected results in the double‑in, double‑out format.
Littler started the match brightly, taking the opening set. However, his performance was far from his usual sharpness; Woodhouse capitalised on several missed doubles, forcing the first set into a deciding leg.
In the subsequent sets, Woodhouse raised his game, winning both without giving Littler a foothold. The victory marked one of the biggest surprises in the history of the tournament, as the young English prodigy was knocked out by a seasoned opponent. Woodhouse’s win earned him a place in the second round against former finalist Nathan Aspinall, who had already dispatched Kevin Doets in a nail‑biting final‑leg decider on the opening night. Littler, visibly disappointed, posted a conciliatory message 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." He then turned his attention to the Super League Grand Final, which features his beloved Warrington Wolves and would have clashed with the Grand Prix semi‑finals. "May aswell get myself to OT [Old Trafford] now I'm out. Let's go the Wire @warringtonrlfc," he added.
Woodhouse praised Littler after the match, noting that the youngster is not a machine and will have off days. "Luke's not a robot.
He's going to have days and weeks and whatever where he's not right on it. But people have echoed it and I'm going to say it again, he's one of a kind, Luke. I hope people will 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," he said. Elsewhere in the tournament, Michael van Gerwen’s quest for a seventh Grand Prix title was ended by a third consecutive first‑round defeat. Dutch veteran Ryan Joyce rallied from a set down to defeat the former champion, adding another chapter to van Gerwen’s recent struggles in the event.
Welsh stars Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, the 2020 and 2021 Grand Prix winners respectively, both progressed comfortably. Price delivered what many called the performance of the night, averaging 101.61 and dropping only a single leg in a dominant win over Sebastian Bialecki. Clayton, however, faced a stern test from Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski; their match was one of six on opening night that went the full distance, showcasing the depth of competition.
Cameron Menzies and Kevin Doets each missed match darts in their defeats to Ross Smith and Nathan Aspinall. Both players had opportunities to seal two‑set victories. Menzies missed two darts at the treble‑20 before Smith swept him 3‑0 in the deciding set.
Doets, after a wild miss at the bullseye, let three match darts slip, allowing Aspinall to clinch a last‑leg decider in the third set. Danny Noppert exploded onto the scene, claiming five consecutive legs to start the evening. His momentum was briefly halted when Niko Springer surged back, taking the next three legs to claim the second set, after which the match settled into a more typical rhythm.
Meanwhile, Wessel Nijman rounded off the night with a straightforward 2‑0 win over former world champion Rob Cross. Nijman’s victory set up a second‑round clash with Jonny Clayton, while Noppert will meet Ryan Joyce, the man who eliminated van Gerwen. Price is slated to face Ross Smith, who revealed he almost withdrew from the tournament after a recent hospitalisation. Smith recounted his ordeal: "I've had a week from hell.
I came home and picked up some sort of virus and I've had a few issues with my heart as well. I was in hospital on Friday. I thought I was pulling out of this event on Saturday, so to be here is an achievement in itself.
Let alone play and win like that, I'm very happy." His resilience underlines the physical and mental demands of high‑level darts. The tournament will continue with second‑round matches spread across Wednesday and Thursday, followed by quarter‑finals on Friday, semi‑finals on Saturday, and the final on Sunday.
Fans can watch day two live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 6 p.m. on Tuesday, with daily coverage continuing through to the championship match. For those without a Sky subscription, NOW offers a contract‑free streaming option, and the latest Sky Sports deals remain available for viewers seeking flexible access.