
The lineup for Saturday at the Grand Slam of Darts reads like an advert for testosterone.
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Things were a little more sedate on Friday, as the first two quarter-finals each lasted 28 legs. Peter Wright battled back and averaged over 100 following a timely switch of darts to hold off Dave Chisnall to reach the last four. He'll take on Glen Durrant who, thanks to a win against Michael Smith, makes it to his third major semi-final of the year. Now it's time for the final two Grand Slam semi-final places to be determined.
Gerwyn Price vs Gary Anderson
Oh, hello. Here we go. Ready for some needle? You might be disappointed.
This is, of course, a repeat of last year's infamous final. The story has been well-worn; Gerwyn Price got rowdy, Gary Anderson got mardy, everything boiled over in spectacular fashion. Price won the title, but the fallout has followed him ever since. A long-running feud with the DRA was eventually resolved. A lot of fans still haven't forgiven Price. The Iceman, going into his Grand Slam defence, has finally decided to adopt a more understated approach.
It's working for him, too. Price has deadpanned his way into the quarter-finals, destroying Darren Webster 10-1 in the last 16. He has yet to reach his peak, but is playing well enough to mount a serious defence. Anderson, meanwhile, has stuttered. It's not a huge surprise; his season as a whole has been stop-start due to injuries and a lack of commitment to the wider PDC calendar.
The Flying Scotsman's Grand Slam hasn't been smooth sailing. Defeat to Darren Webster ended his group stage, while he had by far the lowest average of the second round winners in a tense success versus Robert Thornton. Price will be the favourite, but it would be foolhardy to rule Anderson out. Neither will want the explosive showdown they had last year, though in the heat of the moment, who knows what will happen?
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Michael van Gerwen vs Adrian Lewis
Is Adrian Lewis OK?
The two-time world champion is very, very pumped up. His celebrations against James Wade - some for striking an important double, some for a nice-looking 140 - were dubbed by some as "Price-esque". Is it excitement at being at the business end of a major again? Could it be mind games? Or is Jackpot on an almighty sugar rush?
It was a strong performance that saw Lewis dump Wade out of the Grand Slam, from a seemingly hopeless 9-6 deficit. Thanks to that feat of sheer bloody-minded determination, a first TV major quarter-final since 2017 awaits. The only issue is that the quarter-final in question is against the man who beat him 5-2 in the group stage.
Michael van Gerwen has been too hot to handle so far. 111 and 104 averages in the group set out an almighty stall, while the Dutchman averaged 101 to deny Ian White a famous win. The three-time winner is out for more glory, and is in the sort of form to get it. He'll be encouraged by the fact that he's already beaten Lewis. There should be a lot of roaring and fist-pumping in this one. It's truly hard to see past van Gerwen, though if Lewis can do something special, perhaps the big time beckons for him once more.
Grand Slam of Darts 2019 schedule
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Day Eight
20:15 Gerwyn Price vs Gary Anderson
21:45 Michael van Gerwen vs Adrian Lewis
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- Well,I suppose if you don't play the tournaments ,then why should any player qualify? There are players who enter every tournament,and if they don't win it,they carry on, spending money they haven't won,yet certain players seem to think they should qualify. Winners only I thinkrick6714-11-2026
- Everyone knows what a fantastic champion Taylor was,but his performances in the seniors were poor. He wouldn't throw littler off stage,as he'd miss these days!!rick6712-11-2026
- He produced some impressive numbers in that qualifying campaign. I'm excited to see him compete at the World Championship once again, even if it will be difficult to replicate last year's success even with an improved performance, with the draw playing a huge role in determining his fortunes.Deduce635811-11-2026
- I often think about this very question. I think they should revive the format. They could even invite representatives from MODUS Super Series, with four series winners from the past year, and the ADC, with finalists from the Global Championship and perhaps other events. Why not throw in eligible representatives from the JDC and even the soft-tip game too?Deduce635811-11-2026
- So what if littler missed out, he doesnt have to enter everythingant10-11-2026
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026




