Luke Littler suffered a first-round exit to Rob Cross on his World Grand Prix debut on a dramatic opening night in Leicester that saw defending champion Luke Humphries almost experience the same fate.
Littler, the 17-year-old who has won nine titles in as many months in 2024 amid a stunning start to his professional darts career, was appearing for the first time in the double-start event but lost 2-1 to Cross, the 2018 world champion and No 4 seed.
Littler levelled the match at 1-1 after losing the first set but a battling Cross impressively held his nerve and won the next set, finishing on the bullseye in his triumphant fourth leg to progress to round two and knock the pre-tournament favourite out.
“My record in this tournament isn’t great, so I’m delighted to get over that winning line,” said Cross.
“I struggled in the first set, but then I started to find my rhythm and I felt very solid on my own throw, which gives me confidence for the next few days.”
Humphries survives Bunting scare
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Luke Humphries turned the match around against Stephen Bunting after hitting this 118 checkout
Earlier Humphries, the defending champion, had been on the verge of a shock early exit himself against an in-form Stephen Bunting, who won the first five legs against the world No 1 and then had a shot at a double to win the match.
But after ‘The Bullet’ missed the match-winning double 16, a nerveless Humphries spectacularly turned the match around.
The world champion won the next three legs to suddenly level the match at one set apiece and then eased away in the deciding third as Bunting’s challenge slowly faded.
“These are the games you live for,” said Humphries, who will play Ricardo Pietreczko for a place in the quarter-finals.
“Stephen was very unlucky there. He was the better player overall, but I never gave in, and that is a true champion’s attitude.
“As soon as I won the first leg, I knew the opportunity was there, and I worked incredibly hard to get myself back into the game.”
Barney rumbled by Pikachu
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Ricardo Pietreczko forgot to start with a double at the tournament…
Raymond van Barneveld, the 2008-2009 runner-up, lost in the first round for the second successive year in a 2-1 defeat to German Pietreczko.
Van Barneveld squandered four darts to win the opening set, and although he recovered to level the contest, Pietreczko stormed to set three without reply to triumph on his double-start debut.
‘Pikachu’ will now play Humphries in round two, while Cross faces Martin Schindler after the German player beat Brendan Dolan.
Schindler – a quarter-finalist in 2023 – opened his challenge with a 2-0 victory over 2011 runner-up Dolan, landing three 180s and converting six of his 12 attempts at a finishing double.
The Asp wins a thriller
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Nathan Aspinall and Ryan Searle fought it out in a dramatic winner-takes-all leg
In the night’s other epic encounter, Nathan Aspinall progressed to round two after a last-leg shootout against Ryan Searle.
“I’m just so happy to win after everything I’ve been through over the last few months,” said Aspinall, who was making his first televised appearance since July.
“I had a very tough game against Ryan and that last set proved it, but I’m really happy with the way I performed.”
Smith turns on the style
Ross Smith produced the performance of Monday’s opening night in his straight-sets demolition of Gian van Veen, averaging 101.79 to cap off an outstanding display – the ninth best average in World Grand Prix history.
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Guan van Veen reeled in ‘The Big Fish’ during his defeat against Ross Smith
Van Veen’s solitary leg came courtesy of a 170 checkout, but Smith was undeterred, sweeping aside the Dutch debutant to set up a second-round showdown against Jonny Clayton.
Clayton, the 2021 champion, was also one of the stand-out performers, kicking off his bid for a second double-start title with victory over Ritchie Edhouse.
Ryan Joyce progressed in straight sets on his first World Grand Prix appearance since 2020, winning five straight legs to overcome Josh Rock in the tournament’s curtain-raiser.
What’s happening Tuesday at the World Grand Prix?
Michael van Gerwen opens his bid to claim a seventh World Grand Prix title on Tuesday
The first round will draw to a close, as six-time champion Michael van Gerwen continues his bid for a seventh double-start success against 2017 winner Daryl Gurney.
Michael Smith and Gary Anderson renew their rivalry in a repeat of their first-round showdown at the World Matchplay, while 2020 champion Gerwyn Price enters the fray against Danny Noppert.
Two-time World Grand Prix winner James Wade plays 2018 runner-up Peter Wright in another blockbuster battle, as Chris Dobey and Joe Cullen collide on the World Grand Prix stage for a second straight year.
UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh kicks off his campaign against Luke Woodhouse, with Van den Bergh’s fellow Belgian Mike De Decker pitted against Australian No 1 Damon Heta.
Two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall will open the show in Leicester, and the sixth seed faces a tough test against an in-form Cameron Menzies – one of five debutants in the 32-player field.
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