James Wade and Nathan Aspinall have both produced headline‑grabbing performances that will surely make their upcoming semi‑final opponents sit up and take notice as the World Grand Prix moves into its highly anticipated Saturday night schedule. Aspinall came within a whisker of setting a new tournament‑record average when he blitzed Ryan Joyce 3‑0, posting a 105.15 three‑dart average.
That figure now ranks as the fourth‑highest ever recorded in the history of the event and stands as the best average ever posted in a quarter‑final match at the Grand Prix. The Englishman’s clinical scoring and relentless finishing left little doubt that he is in superb form and ready to challenge for the title. Wade, for his part, was equally ruthless. He dropped only a single leg and, in his own words, "bashed up" world number two Gian van Veen in a contest that lasted just over twenty minutes.
The speed and precision of Wade’s play left spectators and pundits alike in awe. "That really was a performance to remember from Wade," Sky Sports analyst Wayne Mardle commented. "From start to finish, he was absolutely devastating. World class." Three‑time world champion John Part echoed that sentiment, adding: "James isn’t just looking like a great dart‑thrower to me, he’s looking like a winner.
I have a lot of faith in James managing the other players, and that’s what winners do – they see what they have to work with and they work against it. At the start of the match James saw his opponent struggling and put his foot down to get the job done.
I think he’s a legitimate title contender here." Wade’s next challenge will be former world number one Luke Humphries, who reached the last four after a 3‑0 quarter‑final win over debutant Neils Zonneveld. Humphries’ average of 85.91 matched Zonneveld’s, but his decisive double finishes proved the difference, securing his place in the semi‑finals for a fourth consecutive year. After his victory, Humphries admitted to Sky Sports: "I’m really disappointed. I felt really good in practice, but when I came out here tonight it didn’t feel great, to be honest.
It kind of felt like I was the second‑best player for the first two sets, but I got away with it. It’s one of those performances where you’re not thrilled, but you still win 3‑0.
Hopefully tomorrow night is a lot better, because if it isn’t I won’t be here on Sunday." He also spoke about the prospect of meeting Wade: "James is a tough task in itself. He’s a tough player to play against. If I score the way I know I can, then it will be a tough night for James.
If I don’t, it’ll be a tough night for me." On the other side of the draw, Aspinall will meet Peter "The Iceman" Wright in the second semi‑final. Wright staged a dramatic comeback, overturning a two‑set deficit to defeat Jonny Clayton in an all‑Welsh clash, surviving three match darts before finally clinching the win. Aspinall, however, appears especially confident heading into a repeat of the 2022 semi‑final, a match he won on his way to finishing runner‑up to Michael van Gerwen that year.
His most recent major triumph came at the 2023 World Matchplay, but he is eager to add another trophy to his cabinet. "I feel like I can win this tournament, and I feel like I’m ready to win another major again. There’s no reason why I can’t," Aspinall told Sky Sports after his stunning quarter‑final victory over Joyce. "I’m absolutely buzzing.
All day I’ve felt so relaxed. I turned up tonight and felt so focused.
I’m really happy with that performance – my starting, my finishing, my 180s – it’s probably one of the best performances ever on stage in my whole career." Both semi‑finals are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday, with the format of first to five sets determining who reaches the final. The action will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ from 8 p.m., with a delayed start on Sky Sports Main Event at 8:30 p.m., and will continue each day through to the championship match on Sunday.
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