Defending champion Luke Littler experienced a surprising first‑round exit at the World Grand Prix when he was edged out 2‑1 by fellow Englishman Luke Woodhouse in Leicester. The upset came on the same evening that six‑time champion Michael van Gerwen also saw his campaign end prematurely. Littler opened the match strongly, taking the first set, but he was nowhere near his usual sharpness. Woodhouse, capitalising on several missed doubles, managed to force the opener into a deciding leg and ultimately claimed the set.
The momentum then shifted dramatically. Woodhouse did not look back in the second and third sets, winning both without allowing Littler a foothold and securing one of the most remarkable upsets ever recorded in the double‑in, double‑out format of the tournament. Following his victory, Woodhouse will meet former finalist Nathan Aspinall in the second round. Aspinall earned his place after a tense final‑leg decider against Kevin Doets on the opening night.
Meanwhile, Littler took to Instagram to comment on his loss, writing: "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." Littler then hinted at his plans for the weekend, indicating he would travel to the Super League Grand Final on Saturday to support his beloved Warrington Wolves—a match that would have conflicted with the Grand Prix semi‑finals. He posted: "May aswell get myself to OT [Old Trafford] now I'm out.
Let's go the Wire @warringtonrlfc." Woodhouse, after his seismic win over Littler, praised his opponent: "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." The night also saw van Gerwen’s aspirations for a seventh Grand Prix title crumble, as he suffered his third consecutive first‑round defeat in the event. Dutch star Ryan Joyce rallied from a set down to overcome the former champion, further underscoring the unpredictable nature of the competition. Welsh representatives Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, who respectively won the Grand Prix in 2020 and 2021, also progressed.
Price delivered a standout performance, averaging 101.61 and dropping only a single leg in his victory over Sebastian Bialecki. Clayton endured a tougher battle, needing the full distance against Krzysztof Ratajski—one of six matches that went the distance on opening night. Other notable matches included Cameron Menzies and Kevin Doets, both of whom missed match darts before succumbing to Ross Smith and Aspinall respectively.
Menzies missed two opportunities at the top of the board, and Smith swept him 3‑0 in a decisive third set. Doets, despite three match darts—including an errant bullseye—could not close out the game, allowing Aspinall to clinch a last‑leg decider in the third set. Danny Noppert started the evening with a blistering run of five consecutive legs, only to be challenged by Niko Springer, who rallied to take the next three legs and the second set. The third set returned to a more conventional rhythm, with Noppert ultimately prevailing.
In another straightforward encounter, Wessel Nijman dispatched Rob Cross 2‑0, setting up a future clash with Jonny Clayton. The second round is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, with quarter‑finals on Friday, semi‑finals on Saturday, and the final on Sunday. Notably, Ross Smith revealed he almost withdrew from the tournament after a recent hospital stay.
"I've had a week from hell," he said after his first‑round win. "I came home and picked up some sort of virus and 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." Fans can catch the second day of action live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 6 pm on Tuesday, with daily coverage continuing through the final on Sunday. For those without a contract, streaming options are available on NOW, offering flexible access to every match of the World Grand Prix.