Defending champion Luke Littler suffered 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 was also knocked out of the tournament, adding further drama to an already eventful opening night.
Littler started brightly, capturing the opening set, but his performance was far from his usual razor‑sharp standard. Woodhouse, who had several opportunities to close out the first set with a double, missed his chances, allowing Littler to edge ahead and force a deciding leg. In the second set, Woodhouse raised his game, converting his doubles with precision and taking the set comfortably. He continued his momentum into the third set, sealing a 2‑1 victory and delivering one of the most remarkable upsets in the history of the double‑in, double‑out format.
Following his win, Woodhouse will meet former finalist Nathan Aspinall in the second round. Aspinall earned his place by surviving a nail‑biting final‑leg decider against Kevin Doets earlier on the opening night. The matchup promises to be a compelling clash between a seasoned campaigner and the giant‑killer who just toppled the defending champion. Littler took to Instagram after his early exit, posting: "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." He then hinted at his plans for the weekend, indicating that he would likely attend the Super League Grand Final on Saturday, a fixture featuring his beloved Warrington Wolves that would have conflicted with the Grand Prix semi‑finals. "May aswell get myself to OT [Old Trafford] now I'm out. Let's go the Wire @warringtonrlfc," he added.
Woodhouse, reflecting on his victory, praised Littler’s talent while acknowledging the young player’s humanity. "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," he said.
The night also saw Michael van Gerwen’s hopes of a seventh Grand Prix title dashed. The Dutch star suffered his third consecutive first‑round defeat in this event, falling to Ryan Joyce after Joyce rallied from a set down to claim the match. Van Gerwen’s early exit underscores the depth of competition this year, as even the most decorated players are vulnerable. Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, the 2020 and 2021 Grand Prix champions respectively, both progressed comfortably.
Price delivered a standout performance, averaging 101.61 and dropping only a single leg in his 2‑0 victory over Sebastian Bialecki. Clayton, meanwhile, endured a hard‑fought battle against Krzysztof Ratajski; their encounter was one of six matches on the opening night that went the full distance, highlighting the tightly contested nature of the early rounds. Other notable results included Cameron Menzies and Kevin Doets missing match darts in defeats to Ross Smith and Nathan Aspinall respectively. 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—allowing Aspinall to clinch a last‑leg decider in the third set.
Danny Noppert burst out of the gates, stringing together five consecutive legs before Niko Springer rallied to claim the next three, taking the second set. The third set returned to normal service, and Noppert secured the win. In another match, Wessel Nijman wrapped up a routine 2‑0 triumph over former world champion Rob Cross, setting up a second‑round 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.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 6 pm on Tuesday, with daily coverage continuing through to the championship match. One of the human interest stories of the night came from Ross Smith, who revealed he almost withdrew from the tournament after a recent hospital stay.
"I've had a week from hell," Smith said after his first‑round win. "I came home and picked up some sort of virus and I've 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." As the tournament progresses, the field remains wide open. With several top‑seeded players already eliminated, newcomers and seasoned veterans alike have a genuine chance to claim the coveted double‑in, double‑out trophy.
The upcoming rounds promise more upsets, high‑quality darts, and the inevitable drama that makes the World Grand Prix one of the sport’s most exciting events.