Gerwyn Price secured a place in an all‑Welsh quarter‑final encounter with his World Cup teammate Jonny Clayton after dispatching Ross Smith in straight sets at the World Grand Prix in Leicester. The victory came after Price’s opening‑round triumph over Sebastian Białecki, and it set up a Friday night showdown that will see two of Wales’ top darts players battle for a spot in the semi‑finals. Price entered the match as one of the tournament favourites, especially after the surprise early exit of Luke Littler. He had already shown his quality in the first round, posting the highest average of the opening stage.
Against Smith, however, the Englishman managed to outscore Price in the statistical sense, yet Price limited the damage to just four lost legs in a 3‑0 win. His composure under pressure allowed him to claim the third set with a decisive double‑18 finish, sealing his place alongside Clayton. Clayton, meanwhile, began his second‑round match with a flourish, hitting three consecutive ton‑plus checkouts that set the tone for a 3‑1 victory over Dutchman Wessel Nijman.
He recorded an impressive 93.08 average and displayed a clinical finishing game, which helped him overcome the 12th seed. The Welshman’s performance was highlighted by a series of high‑scoring finishes, including a 112 checkout to break, a 116 to hold his throw, and a bullseye‑centred 125 to close the opening set in perfect fashion.
In the other quarter‑final slots, Ryan Joyce breezed past Danny Noppert without dropping a set, while Nathan Aspinall delivered a dominant 3‑0 win over Luke Woodhouse, who had earlier stunned Littler. Aspinall’s display featured an average of 96.27 and a barrage of eight 180s, underscoring his intent to make a deep run in the competition.
Price’s average of 101.61 on Monday night dipped slightly against Smith, but he recovered from an early break of throw by hitting a 13‑dart finish to level the set, then clinching the opening set in a final‑leg decider. He later secured the second set with an 86 checkout and the third with an 80 finish, before wrapping up the match with a double‑18.
Reflecting on his performance, Price told Sky Sports, "I don’t think it was a great game and I don’t think we played brilliant. What we did in patches was start well and finish well, but the bits in between were a little bit rubbish.
I know he [Clayton] is chasing a Grand Slam spot, so the pressure is on him. I think he got lucky first round – hopefully he doesn’t get lucky in the next round!" Clayton’s own comments highlighted his confidence in the scoring department, though he acknowledged that Nijman missed several doubles that gave him extra chances. "My scoring was good but, to be fair, Wessel missed a few chances on doubles and he gave me a few chances," Clayton said.
"The two bullseyes were good, the 126 was good and I have a big smile." Woodhouse’s campaign ended abruptly after his loss to Aspinall. The Englishman fell behind early, losing the first four legs before pulling back with a 135 checkout to break throw. Aspinall then responded with a 104 finish to open a two‑set lead and proceeded to win three straight legs, cementing his quarter‑final berth.
Aspinall, speaking to Sky Sports, emphasized his mental resilience: "As long as I can handle the pressure, which I think I have shown in these two games in the key moments, I am going to be tough to beat this week. If it all comes together, I am one of the best players in the world.
Everybody knows that but I have to prove it." Looking ahead, Aspinall will meet Ryan Joyce, who dominated his own opening match, limiting Noppert to just three legs and expressing frustration over the moving stage floorboards. The quarter‑finals promise high drama, with both Welshmen eager to secure a place in the semi‑finals and potentially the title. The World Grand Prix continues to broadcast live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 7 p.m.
each evening, culminating with the final on Sunday. Fans can also stream the action via NOW with flexible, contract‑free options.