World Grand Prix Friday evening Round-Up | Wade and Humphries march into World Grand Prix semi-final clash as Price downs Clayton
PDC
James Wade and Luke Humphries have booked their places in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix after convincing quarter-final victories over Gian van Veen and Niels Zonneveld respectively.
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Wade produced a highly clinical display to sweep aside Van Veen 3-0, while Humphries also secured a straight-sets victory against Zonneveld after repeatedly capitalising on crucial missed opportunities from the Dutchman.
The pair join Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price in the last four in Leicester.
Wade cruises past Van Veen in straight sets
James Wade produced a remarkably efficient performance to defeat Gian van Veen 3-0 and reach the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix.
While Van Veen struggled badly to find his usual level, Wade remained composed throughout and took full advantage of his opponent's difficulties. The Englishman ultimately needed just 81 average himself to complete a comfortable victory, with Van Veen managing only a single leg in the entire match in which he had an opportunity to finish.
Wade immediately established control in the opening set. Van Veen struggled to find the treble early on, allowing 'The Machine' to hold his own throw in 17 darts before taking the opening set without facing any serious resistance. Van Veen averaged just 66 in the first set.
Wade speaking after.
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The second set followed a similar pattern. Wade held his throw in 18 darts before punishing another poor leg from Van Veen with a 17-darter to move 2-0 ahead. Van Veen finally found himself on a double after 12 darts in the third leg, but he was unable to convert his opportunity.
Wade, meanwhile, produced the standout leg of the match, firing an 11-darter with a 62 finish to take his sixth consecutive leg and move within one set of victory.
There was no way back for Van Veen in the third set. Wade immediately broke in the opening leg and then held his throw to move to the brink of the semi-finals.
Van Veen finally found a finish in the ninth leg of the match, hitting double two with his fourth dart to keep his hopes alive. But Wade quickly put an end to any thoughts of a comeback, sealing the match with a 13-darter to complete a 3-0 victory.
The result sees Wade reach the World Grand Prix semi-finals, continuing his impressive run in Leicester.
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Humphries takes advantage of key moments to defeat Zonneveld
Luke Humphries also secured his place in the last four with a 3-0 victory over Niels Zonneveld, although the Dutchman had opportunities to make the contest considerably closer.
'Cool Hand Luke' eventually proved more clinical when it mattered, particularly when Zonneveld missed important darts at double.
Both players needed some time to settle in the opening leg, with Zonneveld missing chances to open the match and Humphries also struggling to finish. The Englishman eventually held in 20 darts.
Zonneveld responded with an excellent 12-darter before moving into position to take the lead in the third leg. After 15 darts he was sitting on tops, but three missed darts allowed Humphries to escape with an 18-darter.
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Humphries then completed the opening set with a 17-darter to take a 1-0 lead.
The second set was similarly competitive. Humphries again held his throw in 20 darts before Zonneveld levelled the set. The Dutchman then had another opportunity in the third leg but missed several darts at double, allowing Humphries to move 2-1 ahead.
Zonneveld fought back to force a deciding leg, but another crucial miss followed. He missed one dart at tops for a 135 finish, and Humphries responded by taking out 75 to claim the set and move 2-0 ahead.
Humphries opened the third set with a 17-darter, but Zonneveld immediately responded with a 78 finish to level the set.
This time, however, Zonneveld could not create another opportunity in the third leg. Humphries took advantage to move to match point, and when Zonneveld missed two darts at double 11 to stay in the contest, the former world champion closed out the match.
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A 3-0 victory sends Humphries into the World Grand Prix semi-finals, where he will join Wade, Aspinall and Price.
Aspinall narrowly misses World Grand Prix record average
Nathan Aspinall came remarkably close to producing the highest average in World Grand Prix history during his quarter-final against Ryan Joyce.
Aspinall followed a 110 finish by taking the opening leg of the second set, before Joyce responded with a superb 153 checkout to level the set.
'The Asp' continued to pile on the pressure and produced a 112 finish for a 12-darter. Joyce refused to disappear, however, hitting double 18 to make it 2-2.
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Aspinall ultimately took the set with another 13-darter to move 2-0 ahead, with his average still sitting at an astonishing 109.78 at that stage.
The Englishman continued his high-level performance in the third set, opening with a 15-darter. A few missed darts at double then allowed Joyce to fight his way back into the set, but Aspinall responded with another 13-darter before eventually sealing the match with a 75 finish.
Those missed doubles in the final set prevented Aspinall from breaking the highest World Grand Prix average record.
Price completes remarkable comeback against Clayton
Gerwyn Price completed a dramatic comeback against Jonny Clayton to secure his place in the semi-finals.
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Both players struggled on the opening doubles, with Price missing six darts in the first leg before eventually taking it. Clayton responded with a spectacular 110 finish before following it with a 117 checkout to move 2-1 ahead.
Price fought back and was left on 38 after just nine darts in the deciding leg of the set. However, two missed darts at tops and double 12 allowed Clayton to steal the opening set.
Price continued to struggle in the second set. Although he won the opening leg, Clayton immediately levelled before taking the next two legs, including a 98 finish, to move 2-0 ahead in sets.
Price speaking after.
From the third set onwards, however, Price began to find his rhythm.
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He moved into a 2-0 lead before Clayton pulled a leg back, with Price then taking out 54 to reduce the deficit to 2-1 in sets.
Price continued to dominate in the fourth set, opening with a 64 finish before breaking Clayton to move 2-0 ahead. He completed the set 3-0 to force a deciding fifth set.
Clayton appeared to have regained control when he raced into a 2-0 lead, but Price refused to give up. After surviving his first match dart, 'The Iceman' pulled a leg back before hitting tops to force a deciding leg.
Clayton then had two more match darts to finish the contest, but neither found the target.
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Price took full advantage, completing the comeback to defeat his close friend 3-2 and book his place in the semi-finals.
The semi-final line-up is now complete: James Wade faces Luke Humphries, while Nathan Aspinall takes on Gerwyn Price.
Milly ThomsonLive Darts Blogger
Milly Thomson is an aspiring journalist with a deep-rooted passion for a wide range of sports, including football, darts, and cricket. She recently completed her university studies, earning a BA (Hons) in Football Business and Media—a degree that has given her a solid foundation in both the commercial and communications aspects of the sporting world.
Milly combines her academic background with her genuine enthusiasm for sports to produce engaging and insightful coverage across multiple disciplines. Her writing reflects a strong understanding of the games she follows, as well as a keen interest in the stories behind the athletes and events.
As she continues to grow in the field of journalism, Milly is committed to using her voice to inform, entertain, and connect with fellow sports fans. With a clear focus on developing her skills and expanding her portfolio, she is excited to contribute meaningful content to the wider sporting community.
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- Littler will play whatever tournaments he decides. But does every headline have to start with him? Bristow bought Taylor through,and he followed that with Lewis. I can't see littler doing the same. Let him choose,and lose,he's getting good at that lately!rick6702-10-2026
- I believe he has it in him to qualify for the Worlds as he consistently wins matches, even if it is only one or two at a time, although his recent PC quarter-final run was somewhat encouraging in that regard. I think there is a lot of pressure for him to retire, people in the media accusing him of tarnishing his legacy. I think that is a ridiculous line of thinking. How ungrateful it is to attach terms and conditions to the amazing moments he has provided us over the course of his career. What position are we in to dictate to him how he should manage his career when it is he who achieved those successes in the first place? What's more, this is his life and the passion that sustains it, it is not for us to decide when his career is over when it is he who must bear the genuine ramifications of that decision. Since I'm sure money is not a concern, the only question on which the decision should rest is whether he truly continues to enjoy competing. He has retired once before, but the desire to compete is what brought him back. We see a lot of negative body language and he does genuinely look miserable when he is not playing well, but only he will know when he wakes up the next day whether he wants to go and do it all over again. If he wants to compete, he should, it's as simple as that, this is a decision that should not involve anyone else but him and his family. He should not retire to indulge the whims of the media or the public. What satisfaction would he receive by being forced into retirement? What closure would it bring to such a brilliant career? When Phil Taylor decided to retire, his decision was final and resolute. I believe RvB needs to get to this point himself, no matter how many 70 averages it might take. We see the likes of John Part continue to compete on a regular basis well past his prime, I say more power to him, and who knows, further glory could be around the corner, it's darts after all, you just never know. Sometimes I worry that RvB is acutely aware of the clamour for him to retire and that this pressure may even have an impact on his performances as he begins to question whether there is even a place for him in darts anymore, further compounding his poor form and creating a vicious loop. Perhaps to take his future into his own hands would provide him with a levity and freedom that would lend itself to better performances, not to mention an improved wellbeing. In any case, it is under these conditions that one can clear-headedly and definitively settle an issue so profound as retirement, not when you feel you're being rushed out the door. If his performances can no longer sustain his presence on the tour, so be it; as it stands his card seems safe for this year but is in serious jeopardy next year. He could always allow himself to drop off the tour naturally rather than forfeiting his place in the top 64, this could provide a sense of finality while offering a route back through Q-School if he so desired; after all, he's done it before. In conclusion, I just hope that RvB can play - or not play - for his own sake, rather than anyone else's, so that when the time comes he can be in no doubt as to his decision, leaving no lingering questions, so that he can reflect with no regret or uncertainty on the marvelous career he has had.Deduce635826-09-2026
- Luke Littler has been good for the sport of darts, no question. But he is not above it. For his sake and ours, he needs to be put in his place sometimes, rather than having his every whim catered to. That is not how you build a good person nor a good sporting organisation, and it's beginning to have consequences.Deduce635826-09-2026
- Extremely disappointing decision. It used to be that, along with major events and Euro Tours, the Players Championship series constituted one of three standards against which successful darts players could be measured, one of three challenges every successful darts player should be expected to master to consider themself among the elite. Now they are dead weight in the darting calendar, and player turnout and the standard of competitiveness will reflect that. The truth is that Luke Littler and other big names would rather play lucrative exhibitions than put in the hard graft that being a successful dart player requires. It undermines the authority of the PDC and the game in general. So what do they do about it? Give them exactly what they want. Of course, why wouldn't they? They are their star attractions. It is ironic that an organisation formed in protest by the sport's elite should be undermined and disrespected by their contemporary equivalents, but the PDC had a chance to stand up to them with a firm message: play 2 events all year and expect the final to be played without you. Instead, they caved in. These events will be hardly worth playing anymore and this decision may have grave consequences for the future of floor events at the elite level. Some may say the calendar is overstuffed, yet these elite players have more than enough time to play plenty of exhibitions. The Premier League in particular is gruelling, but busy players are not expected to play every event, they are expected to manage their playing schedule carefully in order to apportion their time and energy appropriately. Clayton and Humphries, for instance, both sit in the top 20 of the Players Championship and European orders of merit, in addition to competing in the Premier League; they have proven it is absolutely possible and this change is an insult to their efforts in effectively managing their calendars. I think we are seeing players who simply think they are too good for Pro Tour events, arrogance which should be punished rather than rewarded as we are seeing here. Furthermore, why should success in Euro Tours qualify you for the Players Championship Final? The PDC are blurring the lines between those three disciplines of darting excellence, and in so doing destabilising the very foundations upon which the organisation and its success is built. Some may say I'm overreacting, but this, in addition to the PDC's subservience and snivelling obsequiousness toward their biggest assets, makes me fear for the future of professional darts.Deduce635826-09-2026
- I guess this will mean the top players will turn up even less? Taken all the excitement of qualifying away I think. Wish they made it top 32 to qualify and the finals to last all week.Baphomet26-09-2026
- Great article - but not written by this site. It's taken wholesale from last Sunday's Observer with this interview published online on Saturday.Scoobedybop22-09-2026
- Such sad and pathetic little losers giving abuse to young woman for any reason, let alone who she is in a relationship with. Go Beau! An absolute star and comes across as a genuinely nice and kind person. Wish her nothing but the best.BandB22-09-2026
- I wouldn't mind if he quit now to be honest. He's not bigger than darts. Let's face it without darts he'd just be a normal fat gamer kid.medinabello22-09-2026
- You know,I said this,in a sentence,not 5 paragraphs!!rick6721-09-2026
- Oh dear,he lost. Well any competitive sport runs the risk of defeat. He is, currently,his own worst enemy. Wind the crowd up,and you get it back bigger. Put your dummy in kidrick6721-09-2026
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