The battle for Welsh supremacy and a coveted spot in the World Grand Prix semi‑finals will unfold on Friday night in Leicester, where Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are set to clash. Currently ranked fourth in the world, Price sits just one place ahead of Clayton on the PDC Order of Merit.
A victory would see him extend his lead over his fellow countryman – who also partners him in the World Cup of Darts – and cement his status as Wales' top player. Conversely, if Clayton, who is also fighting for a place in the Grand Slam of Darts later in November, emerges victorious and then goes on to claim the title on Sunday, he will overtake the "Iceman" as the highest‑ranked Welshman. The matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 7 p.m.
on Friday, featuring the following line‑up: - Nathan Aspinall vs Ryan Joyce - Gerwyn Price vs Jonny Clayton - Luke Humphries vs Niels Zonneveld - Gian van Veen vs James Wade (For the best viewing experience, a Chrome browser is recommended.) Price currently leads the head‑to‑head record against Clayton 30‑15, and he won their most recent encounter earlier this month – an 11‑7 semi‑final win at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. However, the 41‑year‑old Price was thoroughly outclassed by Clayton in the 2021 World Grand Prix final, losing 5‑1. Price, who has lifted the World Cup alongside Clayton in 2020 and 2023, said of his opponent: "I know how good Jonny can play, I know how bad he can play.
I know how good and how bad I can play. I just need to take my opportunities. If I can start well, score in between and put Jonny under pressure, I think I will come through but it's going to be a real tough one.
It's special for Wales regardless of who wins the game. We're going to have a Welshman in the semi‑final of another massive major." Clayton responded with a light‑hearted jab: "There's banter between me and Gezzy. Every time he gets to Welsh No 1, he sends me a flag with a No 1 on.
We're good friends, world number 4 and 5. You can't fault that from Wales!" In the opening round, Clayton edged past Krzysztof Ratajski 2‑1 – a result Price jokingly called "lucky" for his compatriot – before delivering a series of high‑scoring finishes, including three 140+ checkouts in the first set, to defeat the rising Dutchman Wessel Nijman 3‑1.
Price, meanwhile, has yet to lose a set in this tournament. He breezed past Sebastian Bialecki 2‑0 and then dispatched Ross Smith 3‑0, avenging his recent defeat to "Smudger" at the World Series of Darts final in the Netherlands. The all‑Welsh showdown on Friday will be accompanied by three other first‑round matches: - Luke Humphries vs Niels Zonneveld - James Wade vs Gian van Veen - Nathan Aspinall vs Ryan Joyce Niels Zonneveld, who has already eliminated Josh Rock and Gary Anderson, enters as the lowest‑ranked remaining competitor (world No 35).
Second seed Luke Humphries will not underestimate the Dutchman, especially after Humphries suffered an upset loss to unseeded Mike De Decker in the 2024 final. Humphries, aiming for a second Grand Prix crown after his 2023 triumph, explained his mindset: "One thing this tournament teaches you is not to take anyone for granted. If I think because Niels is whatever ranking he is that I'm going to win the game easy, I will fail. He's playing good darts and could be the Mike De Decker story.
I will treat him with the respect I would give every player, the respect he deserves." Reflecting on what a win would mean after his first major since the 2025 Premier League – his eighth overall – Humphries added: "When you have experienced that achievement of winning a lot and then it all goes away for 12 months, when you get that experience of winning again it feels even sweeter. I have worked really hard over the last 12 months and not got the rewards so winning would do me good, boost my confidence. Because I'm not picking up one or two majors a year, people think you are not as good as you used to be but I feel I am playing better than ever. I still feel there is another level in me.
I'm just trying to find where that comes from." On the other side of the draw, Ryan Joyce is viewed as a long‑shot to lift the trophy, much like Zonneveld. Joyce's recent quarter‑final opponent, Nathan Aspinall, hammered eight 180s in his dominant win over Luke Woodhouse, the man who had previously beaten Luke Littler. Joyce, however, is renowned for his mastery of double 16 and believes the double‑in, double‑out format of the Grand Prix offers his best chance at a major title. He reached the semi‑finals in 2024 before being knocked out by Humphries.
The unassuming Englishman has already dispatched six‑time Grand Prix champion Michael van Gerwen and Danny Noppert, and he even credits an AI chat with giving him a confidence boost. "I thought, 'I'll put ChatGPT on and say I've got a big game coming up. Have you got any tips on how I can handle it better?' The AI gave me a list of things to do, and I realised I already do most of them.
That gave me a little boost, so I'll just continue with what I'm doing. I don't need anybody's help.
I'm just going to do it myself," Joyce said. Aspinall, however, remains skeptical of Joyce's chances, warning that a repeat of his dominant performance against Woodhouse would be unlikely. "Joyce is unreal on his double 16 but he can't score like me – and he knows that.
If I score like I did [in round two], he's not going to beat me, simple as that," he asserted. Fans can watch the World Grand Prix quarter‑finals live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 7 p.m. on Friday, with daily coverage continuing through to the Sunday final.
For those seeking alternative viewing options, the latest Sky Sports deals or a contract‑free stream with NOW are also available.