Welsh darts enthusiasts will have plenty to cheer about on Friday night in Leicester, where Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton will clash for the coveted spot in the World Grand Prix semi‑finals. The encounter not only decides which player will advance, but also determines which of the two will hold the title of Wales' top‑ranked competitor for the remainder of the season.
At the time of writing, Price sits fourth in the PDC Order of Merit, a single place ahead of his fellow countryman Clayton, who is currently ranked fifth. A victory for Price will widen that gap and cement his status as the leading Welshman on the tour. Conversely, a win for Clayton would not only propel him into the semi‑finals but also give him the chance to overtake the "Iceman" as the highest‑rated Welsh player, especially if he goes on to capture the tournament title on Sunday. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ and the Sky Sports Main Event channel from 7 p.m.
GMT on Friday. The evening’s programme also includes Nathan Aspinall versus Ryan Joyce, Luke Humphries against Niels Zonneveld, and Gian van Veen taking on James Wade. Viewers are advised to use the Chrome browser for the most reliable video player experience. Historically, Price has enjoyed the upper hand in their head‑to‑head meetings, leading 30‑15 overall.
Their most recent encounter was a semi‑final at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, where Price dispatched Clayton 11‑7. However, the Welsh rivalry is far from one‑sided. In the 2021 World Grand Prix final, Clayton delivered a dominant 5‑1 victory over Price, a result that still resonates with both players.
Price, who teamed with Clayton to win the World Cup of Darts in both 2020 and 2023, acknowledged the challenge ahead: "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 in kind, noting the friendly banter that exists between them: "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 it. We're good friends, world number 4 and 5.
You can't fault that from Wales!" Clayton’s path to the quarter‑finals has been impressive. He survived a tight first‑round battle against Krzysztof Ratajski, edging it 2‑1 – a result Price later joked was a bit of "luck" for his compatriot. In the second round, Clayton produced a series of high‑scoring finishes, including three 100+ checkouts in the opening set, to defeat the rising Dutch talent Wessel Nijman 3‑1.
Price, meanwhile, has yet to drop a set in this year's Grand Prix. He opened his campaign with a clean 2‑0 sweep of Sebastian Bialecki, followed by a 3‑0 demolition of Ross Smith, avenging a recent loss to Smith in the World Series of Darts final held in the Netherlands. The all‑Welsh showdown is part of a broader Friday schedule that also features Luke Humphries versus Niels Zonneveld, James Wade against Gian van Veen, and Nathan Aspinall taking on Ryan Joyce.
Zonneveld, currently the lowest‑ranked player remaining at world No 35, has already caused upsets by eliminating Josh Rock and Gary Anderson. Despite his underdog status, second‑seed Humphries will treat him with respect, recalling his own surprise defeat to unseeded Mike De Decker in the 2024 final. Humphries, who is chasing 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." When asked what winning his first major since the 2025 Premier League – his eighth overall – would mean, Humphries reflected on the emotional roller‑coaster of professional darts: "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 considered a long‑shot to lift the trophy, yet his recent form suggests he could be a dangerous opponent.
In his last‑eight match, he faced Nathan Aspinall, who hammered eight 180s in a dominant display that saw him dispatch Luke Woodhouse, the man who had earlier eliminated Luke Littler. Joyce, however, boasts a reputation for excelling on double 16, a crucial finishing target in this double‑in, double‑out format.
He believes this tournament offers his best opportunity to claim a major title, having reached the semi‑finals in 2024 before being edged out by Humphries. Joyce also shared an unusual anecdote about seeking advice from artificial intelligence. After a lull in confidence, he turned to ChatGPT for tips on handling big matches.
The AI responded with a list of strategies that Joyce felt he already practiced, giving him a small morale boost: "The AI programme gave me a list of lots of different things to do, and I thought to myself, 'well, actually, I already do most of that, I already think like that, I've actually taught myself that from my own experience of being a professional for so many years'. 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." Aspinall, meanwhile, remains confident that Joyce’s hopes will evaporate if he cannot replicate his earlier scoring power: "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." Fans can catch all the action 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 without a Sky subscription, the tournament is also available via NOW with a no‑contract streaming option.