Defending champion Luke Littler experienced a surprising first‑round loss at the World Grand Prix, bowing out 2‑1 to 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, securing the first set, but he was clearly not at his peak. Woodhouse capitalised on several missed doubles, pushing the opening set to a deciding leg and eventually taking it.
In the following two sets Woodhouse showed no signs of hesitation, winning both comfortably and delivering one of the most remarkable upsets in the history of the double‑in, double‑out format. The victory propels Woodhouse into a second‑round clash with former finalist Nathan Aspinall, who earned his place after a tense final‑leg decider against Kevin Doets on the opening night.
Littler, visibly disappointed, took to Instagram to acknowledge Woodhouse’s performance: "Well played @lukewoodly180, it was a good game, glad to be a part of it as well. Both hit, both missed, but Luke took his chance. Have a nice week off now, all the best to Luke for the rest of the tournament." Littler didn’t linger on the loss for long.
He quickly shifted his focus to the Super League Grand Final scheduled for Saturday, a match that features his beloved Warrington Wolves and would have overlapped with the Grand Prix semi‑finals. "May as well get myself to OT [Old Trafford] now I’m out. Let’s go the Wire @warringtonrlfc," he wrote, signalling his intention to support his rugby league side. Woodhouse, after his stunning win, praised Littler’s talent: "Luke’s not a robot.
He’ll have days and weeks where he’s not on point. But people keep saying it and I’ll say it again – he’s one of a kind.
I hope people take the time to appreciate how good he is and don’t give him a hard time. You might never see another Luke Littler again." The night also delivered a blow to Michael van Gerwen’s ambitions.
The Dutch star, who has already captured six Grand Prix titles, suffered a third consecutive first‑round defeat, falling 2‑1 to Ryan Joyce after Joyce rallied from a set down. Van Gerwen’s early exit extinguished any hope of a seventh crown. Welsh representatives Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, winners of the 2020 and 2021 editions respectively, both progressed comfortably. Price delivered a masterclass, averaging 101.61 and dropping only a single leg in a dominant victory over Sebastian Bialecki.
Clayton, meanwhile, was forced into a hard‑fought battle against Krzysztof Ratajski; their match was one of six on the opening night that went the full distance. Other notable results included Cameron Menzies and Kevin Doets missing match darts in defeats to Ross Smith and Nathan Aspinall respectively. 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, while Doets squandered three match darts – including a wild miss at the bullseye – before Aspinall clinched the win in a final‑leg decider. Danny Noppert started the evening with a blistering run of five consecutive legs, only to be interrupted by Niko Springer, who claimed the next three legs and the second set before the match settled into a more typical rhythm in the third set.
Wessel Nijman rounded out the night with a straightforward 2‑0 win over Rob Cross, setting up a second‑round encounter with Jonny Clayton. In the aftermath of his first‑round triumph, Ross Smith revealed he almost withdrew from the tournament after a recent hospital stay. "I’ve had a week from hell," Smith explained.
"I came home, picked up some sort of virus and had heart issues as well. I was in hospital on Friday and thought I’d pull out on Saturday. To be here, let alone win, is an achievement in itself.
I’m very happy." The tournament’s second round is slated for Wednesday and Thursday, with quarter‑finals on Friday, semi‑finals on Saturday, and the final on Sunday. Fans can follow day two of the World Grand Prix live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 6 p.m. on Tuesday, with continuous coverage through to the championship match on Sunday.
Those without a contract can also stream the event via NOW, taking advantage of the latest Sky Sports deals.