"It's a bit cold. I've got hand warmers in my pockets" – Tom Sykes deals with the cold conditions better on Grand Slam debut
PDC
Tom Sykes marked his Grand Slam of Darts debut with a surprise win over Luke Woodhouse. The Englishman beat his compatriot 5-3 on Saturday afternoon, taking a major step towards the knockout stage. After the match, Sykes spoke about his first win over Woodhouse, the nerves he felt during the game and the notably cold conditions in Wolverhampton.
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Sykes was visibly relieved after his victory, though he knew his performance had not been flawless. He missed several chances on the doubles, while Woodhouse also struggled to reach his usual level.
“I'm happy to get the win, but it wasn't the greatest of games. Luke let me off quite a bit there, and I managed to get the win, so I'm buzzing with that,” Sykes said afterwards at the press conference.
The Englishman admitted he had felt some nerves beforehand, but they largely disappeared once he entered the arena. “Not so much, to be fair. More this morning, before I got here. As soon as I got here, I was absolutely fine. I chilled out, relaxed for a bit, went up there and eventually got the job done. So I'm happy.”
Finally, a win over Woodhouse
The victory meant even more to Sykes, as he had already lost to Woodhouse several times this year. The Englishman said his compatriot had beaten him three times in 2026. “Yeah, massive, especially against Luke, who I think has beaten me three times already this year. So, for me to get one over on him on a stage like that is massive.”
Sykes admitted things got tense towards the end. At a crucial moment, he missed a dart at double five, which landed in the large single 12. “I was a bit shaky. I had a few on the wire, including a double 10, and I nearly fell over the oche, I think, going for the double five,” he said with a laugh.
“But luckily, Luke missed and I went back up and hit it. I think that pretty much changed the game because, after that, I played well in the last two legs.”
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THE TIGER TAMES WOODHOUSE! It's a dream Grand Slam debut for Tom Sykes! The Castleford star defeats Luke Woodhouse 5-3 to take early control of Group J! 📺 https://t.co/OFsNJkRNwt #GSOD | Group Stage https://t.co/AepRIXIryo
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 14, 2026
“My hands were absolutely freezing”
Like Woodhouse, Sykes felt the impact of the low temperature in the arena during the match. Both players were regularly trying to warm their hands. After his match, Woodhouse had already criticised the conditions. Sykes understood his compatriot’s frustration.
"It's a bit cold. I've got hand warmers in my pockets, and I have hand warmers in my pockets no matter where or when I play. Even my hands were absolutely freezing in that game,” Sykes said.
The Englishman hopes conditions improve over the rest of the tournament. “it was pretty cold, so hopefully it warms up for the rest of the week.”
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Fifteen years of hard work pay off
For Sykes, competing at the Grand Slam is another milestone in his career. The Englishman said it had taken him 15 to 16 years of work to reach this level.
“You've got to believe that, otherwise there's no point being here, is there? Obviously, I've worked for 15 or 16 years to get to this point, and I'm just reaping the rewards now. Hopefully, I'll continue to do that.”
Sykes had already secured his place at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. As a result, he saw qualifying for the Grand Slam largely as an added bonus.
“I saw it as a bonus when I went to the qualifiers. Obviously, I just got my head down and played darts. If it happened, it happened. If it didn't, I was still in the Players Championship and the Worlds at the end of the year. By the end of the year, I was able to qualify for Ally Pally, and I've done that. So this one's a bonus."
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The hard work has paid off for Tom Sykes
Sykes believes he can win the group
Under the Grand Slam’s revamped format, only one player from each group advances to the knockout stage, making the win over Woodhouse particularly valuable.
Sykes is in a group with Woodhouse and Polish player Krzysztof Ratajski. The Englishman believes he has a good chance of topping the group. “I always felt, when the groups came out, that I had a good chance of winning it. I know Luke and Krzysztof are brilliant players, but so am I when I want to be."
Sykes added that the draw could have been considerably tougher. “It could have been a lot harder. I could have been in Group A with Beau and Luke, but yeah, I was happy with the draw.”
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With his first win secured, Sykes can now spend the next few days preparing for his next group match, which is scheduled for Tuesday. First, he will wait for the match between Woodhouse and his other group opponent.
“I'm happy to get that first win, get a couple of points on the board, and then we'll see what happens in the game between Krzysztof and Luke. Hopefully, I don't have to think about anything else other than winning my game and getting through, so that's all I need to do.”
Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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