Luke Littler’s World Grand Prix defence came to an abrupt end in Leicester, where he was beaten 2-1 by Luke Woodhouse in the first round. The world champion, 19, took the first set but averaged just 82.41 across the match, well below his best form. That allowed Woodhouse to level the contest and seal the deciding set 3-1 with a checkout of 75.
Littler had reached the quarter-finals at the World Series of Darts Finals just over a week ago, losing to Jonny Clayton. He had been hoping to build on that result here, but his performance across the three sets was distinctly below par throughout.
Woodhouse’s Path to the Last 16
Woodhouse will now face 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall in the last 16. Aspinall won his match 2-1 against Dutch debutant Kevin Doets, who was making his first appearance in the tournament.
Earlier on Monday, six-time winner Michael van Gerwen suffered a rare setback as 2024 semi-finalist Ryan Joyce fought back to win 2-1. Joyce lost five of the final six legs before recovering to secure the victory.
England’s Joyce will play Dutchman Danny Noppert in the next round. Noppert also won by the same 2-1 scoreline, advancing past Germany’s Niko Springer.
The Rest of the First Round
Gerwyn Price kept his campaign alive with a comfortable 2-0 win over Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki. He lost only a single leg across the match and will meet England’s Ross Smith in the next round.
Smith came from behind to win 2-1 against Scotland’s Cameron Menzies. Welshman Jonny Clayton also progressed, edging past Krzysztof Ratajski 2-1.
Clayton will take on the Netherlands’ Wessel Nijman in the last 16. Nijman overcame 2018 world champion Rob Cross in straight sets.
A Late Comeback
The first round carried a theme of late fights back. Van Gerwen, a six-time winner, lost five of the last six legs before Joyce secured the win. Joyce’s recovery was the standout moment of the day.
The Defending Champion’s Exit
Littler’s loss was the most notable upset of the first round. A world champion who had just reached a major quarter-final falling in the first round of this tournament is an unexpected turn of events.
Woodhouse’s win puts him through to the last 16, where he will face Aspinall. The 2022 runner-up will be a tough test for the qualifier.
What Happens Next
The draw for the last 16 means several high-profile meetings are set up for the next round. Aspinall’s clash with Woodhouse pits a former finalist against the qualifier.
Noppert faces Joyce, while Price meets Smith. Clayton takes on Nijman, and Littler’s exit means his title defence is over.
The tournament continues at Leicester, with the remaining rounds to be played over the coming days.
“That allowed Woodhouse to level the match and deliver a checkout of 75 to win the deciding set 3-1 in legs.”
The result is a surprise. A world champion who had just reached a major quarter-final falling in the first round of this tournament is an unexpected turn of events.
See the a run of 33 images at the BBC.
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