Luke Humphries escaped the sting of a series of missed doubles to overcome a sub‑par Dave Chisnall and secure a place in the second round of the World Grand Prix in Leicester. Humphries, who has reached the final of this tournament three consecutive times – winning the 2023 edition and finishing runner‑up on the two occasions that followed – now looks the front‑runner after defending champion Luke Littler suffered a surprise defeat to Luke Woodhouse on opening night. The "Cool Hand" displayed a calm, almost clinical performance despite a noticeable scab on his forehead, which he later blamed on an allergic reaction.
He dispatched Chisnall 2‑0 while posting a modest average of 80.41 and converting just 26 % of his doubles. The win sets up a second‑round clash with Jermaine Wattimena, the player who eliminated Chris Dobey earlier in the day. Chisnall briefly threatened to force a deciding set, but a missed checkout allowed the world No. 2 to seal the match on double four, after which Humphries appeared to hush a vocal spectator.
Meanwhile, two seeded players fell on Tuesday evening: Dobey and Josh Rock. Rock was beaten by Dutch newcomer Niels Zonneveld, who produced three finishes of 100 or more in the third set to earn a place in the last‑16 against Gary Anderson.
Rock had shown flashes of brilliance, including an audacious attempt at a 101 finish (bull‑eye, single 1, bull‑eye) and a spectacular 151 that followed a 180, briefly giving him the edge before Zonneveld forced a decider. The Dutch debutant’s three‑ton‑plus scores proved decisive. In another upset, "Hollywood"—the nickname for James Wade—entered the match against Jermaine Wattimena with a blazing start, burning four darts to break Wattimena’s opening leg.
However, Wade’s average slipped below 80 and he struggled to hit the required starting double in many legs. His only moment of brilliance came with a dazzling 128 checkout at the beginning of the second set, but he ultimately lost 2‑0. James Wade, on the other hand, demonstrated resilience. After dropping the first set, he weathered six missed match darts across two visits and turned the tide to beat Joe Cullen 2‑1, keeping his hopes alive for a third World Grand Prix title and his first in 16 years.
A pivotal moment arrived in the fourth leg of the second set when Wade hit the bull for an 81 finish, just as Cullen was poised to break and move into a winning position. Wade hesitated briefly, missed doubles at the top of the board and at double 10 in the third leg of the deciding set, but eventually clinched victory with a double 10 in the following leg. Wade’s reward is a quarter‑final meeting with Stephen Bunting, who edged past Andrew Gilding 2‑1 in the final match of the round.
The day also saw further disappointment for Damon Heta, who endured his sixth consecutive first‑round loss at the Grand Prix – he has yet to win a match at this venue. Heta surrendered a one‑set lead and missed a match dart at double 5 in the second set against Gary Anderson. Anderson, the 2016 runner‑up to Michael van Gerwen, dominated the third set 3‑0, posting a lofty average of 110. Gian van Veen also made headlines by defeating fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode in straight sets, marking his first win on this stage after early exits in 2024 and 2025 to Ross Smith and Luke Littler respectively.
Van Duijvenbode, after a shaky start that saw him lose the first five legs, finally found his scoring rhythm but missed two attempts at double 16, forcing a deciding leg. Van Veen will now face Ryan Searle, while "Heavy Metal" (Ryan Searle) punished William O'Connor’s four missed match darts to progress, winning the final three legs after having dropped the first five. O'Connor’s electrifying comeback after losing the opening set included a 95 checkout with back‑to‑back double 19s, but the Irishman, making his first appearance at the event in over a decade, eventually faltered.
The tournament continues with matches played first to three sets from 7 p.m. each evening. Viewers can watch day three live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage running daily through to the final on Sunday.
For those seeking flexible viewing, the latest Sky Sports packages or the contract‑free NOW streaming service are available.