Luke Humphries escaped any penalty for a series of missed finishing doubles by overcoming a sub‑par Dave Chisnall to secure his place in the second round of the World Grand Prix in Leicester. Humphries, who has reached the final of this tournament three times in a row – lifting the trophy in 2023 and finishing runner‑up on the two subsequent occasions – now looks the odds‑on favorite after defending champion Luke Littler suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Luke Woodhouse on opening night.
The "Cool Hand" displayed a noticeable scar on his forehead, which he attributed to an allergic reaction, yet it did not hinder his performance. He dispatched Chisnall 2‑0 while posting an average of just 80.41 and converting only 26% of his doubles. The victory sets up a second‑round clash with Jermaine Wattimena, the player who eliminated Chris Dobey earlier in the evening.
Chisnall briefly threatened to push the match into a deciding set, but a missed checkout allowed the world No. 2 to seal the win on double four, after which he appeared to hush a vocal spectator.
Meanwhile, two seeded players fell on Tuesday night: Chris Dobey and Josh Rock. Rock was beaten by Dutch debutant Niels Zonneveld, who produced three finishes over 100 in the third set to earn a last‑16 encounter with Gary Anderson. Rock’s attempt at an audacious 101 finish – bullseye, single 1, bullseye – was a highlight, as was his sequence of a 180 followed by a spectacular 151 that forced a deciding set against Zonneveld. Despite those fireworks, Rock could not sustain the momentum and eventually succumbed.
Dobey, for his part, endured a first‑round exit for the third consecutive year. His opponent, dubbed "Hollywood," burned four darts to claim the opening leg but then struggled to hit the required starting double throughout the match. His only moment of brilliance was a dazzling 128 checkout at the start of the second set; nevertheless, he fell 2‑0. James Wade demonstrated resilience by rallying from a set down and ignoring six missed match darts spread over two visits to defeat Joe Cullen 2‑1.
Wade’s win keeps his quest for a third World Grand Prix title – and his first in 16 years – alive. A pivotal moment arrived in the fourth leg of the second set when Wade hit the bull for an 81 finish, denying Cullen a break that would have put him on the brink of victory. Wade then hesitated, missing double top and double 10 in the third leg of the deciding set before finally clinching the match on double 10.
Wade’s next opponent will be Stephen Bunting, who edged past Andrew Gilding 2‑1 in the final match of the round. The day also brought further disappointment for Damon Heta, who recorded his sixth straight first‑round loss – the Australian has yet to win a match at this event. 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 while averaging a lofty 110.
Gian van Veen secured his first win on this stage by defeating fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode in straight sets, after previous first‑round exits in 2024 and 2025 to Ross Smith and Littler respectively. Van Duijvenbode, after a poor start that saw him lose the first five legs, eventually found his scoring rhythm but missed two attempts at double 16, forcing a deciding leg.
Van Veen will now face Ryan Searle after "Heavy Metal" punished William O'Connor’s four missed match darts to progress, winning the final three legs after having lost the preceding five. O'Connor’s electrifying run began with a 95 checkout using back‑to‑back double 19s, but the Irishman – making his first appearance at the Grand Prix in over a decade – could not maintain his form. The tournament continues with matches played first to three sets, beginning at 7 p.m. each evening.
Viewers can watch day three live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 7 p.m. on Wednesday, with daily coverage continuing through the final on Sunday. For those without a Sky subscription, the latest Sky Sports deals or a contract‑free stream on NOW are available.