Luke Littler suffered a first-round exit to Rob Cross on his World Grand Prix debut on a dramatic opening evening in Leicester that noticed defending champion Luke Humphries nearly expertise the identical destiny.
Littler, the 17-year-old who has gained 9 titles in as many months in 2024 amid a surprising begin to his skilled darts profession, was showing for the primary time within the double-start occasion however misplaced 2-1 to Cross, the 2018 world champion and No 4 seed.
Littler levelled the match at 1-1 after shedding the primary set however a battling Cross impressively held his nerve and gained the subsequent set, ending on the bullseye in his triumphant fourth leg to progress to spherical two and knock the pre-tournament favorite out.
“My record in this tournament isn’t great, so I’m delighted to get over that winning line,” stated 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 round in opposition to Stephen Bunting after hitting this 118 checkout
Earlier Humphries, the defending champion, had been on the verge of a shock early exit himself in opposition to an in-form Stephen Bunting, who gained the primary 5 legs in opposition to the world No 1 after which had a shot at a double to win the match.
However after ‘The Bullet’ missed the match-winning double 16, a nerveless Humphries spectacularly turned the match round.
The world champion gained the subsequent three legs to out of the blue stage the match at one set apiece after which eased away within the deciding third as Bunting’s problem slowly pale.
“These are the games you live for,” stated Humphries, who will play Ricardo Pietreczko for a spot within 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 quickly as I gained the primary leg, I knew the chance was there, and I labored extremely onerous to get myself again into the sport.”
Barney rumbled by Pikachu
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Ricardo Pietreczko forgot to begin with a double on the event…
Raymond van Barneveld, the 2008-2009 runner-up, misplaced within the first spherical for the second successive yr in a 2-1 defeat to German Pietreczko.
Van Barneveld squandered 4 darts to win the opening set, and though he recovered to stage the competition, Pietreczko stormed to set three with out reply to triumph on his double-start debut.
‘Pikachu’ will now play Humphries in spherical two, whereas Cross faces Martin Schindler after the German participant beat Brendan Dolan.
Schindler – a quarter-finalist in 2023 – opened his problem with a 2-0 victory over 2011 runner-up Dolan, touchdown three 180s and changing six of his 12 makes an attempt at a ending 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
Within the evening’s different epic encounter, Nathan Aspinall progressed to spherical two after a last-leg shootout in opposition to Ryan Searle.
“I’m just so happy to win after everything I’ve been through over the last few months,” stated Aspinall, who was making his first televised look 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 activates the fashion
Ross Smith produced the efficiency of Monday’s opening evening in his straight-sets demolition of Gian van Veen, averaging 101.79 to cap off an excellent show – the ninth finest common in World Grand Prix historical past.
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Guan van Veen reeled in ‘The Large Fish’ throughout his defeat in opposition to Ross Smith
Van Veen’s solitary leg got here courtesy of a 170 checkout, however Smith was undeterred, sweeping apart the Dutch debutant to arrange a second-round showdown in opposition to Jonny Clayton.
Clayton, the 2021 champion, was additionally one of many stand-out performers, kicking off his bid for a second double-start title with victory over Ritchie Edhouse.
Ryan Joyce progressed in straight units on his first World Grand Prix look since 2020, successful 5 straight legs to beat Josh Rock within the event’s curtain-raiser.
What’s taking place Tuesday on the World Grand Prix?
Michael van Gerwen opens his bid to say a seventh World Grand Prix title on Tuesday
The primary spherical will draw to an in depth, as six-time champion Michael van Gerwen continues his bid for a seventh double-start success in opposition to 2017 winner Daryl Gurney.
Michael Smith and Gary Anderson renew their rivalry in a repeat of their first-round showdown on the World Matchplay, whereas 2020 champion Gerwyn Worth enters the fray in opposition to Danny Noppert.
Two-time World Grand Prix winner James Wade performs 2018 runner-up Peter Wright in one other blockbuster battle, as Chris Dobey and Joe Cullen collide on the World Grand Prix stage for a second straight yr.
UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh kicks off his marketing campaign in opposition to Luke Woodhouse, with Van den Bergh’s fellow Belgian Mike De Decker pitted in opposition to Australian No 1 Damon Heta.
Two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall will open the present in Leicester, and the sixth seed faces a tricky take a look at in opposition to an in-form Cameron Menzies – one in every of 5 debutants within the 32-player discipline.
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