Preview 2024 World Grand Prix: Can Luke Humphries defend his World Grand Prix title?

The 2024 World Grand Prix is set to kick off from October 7th to 13th at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, and all eyes are on world number 1, Luke Humphries, as he begins his title defence. Following a stellar year that saw him cement his place among darts' elite, Humphries will be looking to go back-to-back in this unique double-start tournament and further assert his dominance in the sport.

For Humphries, last year’s victory was monumental. Securing his first major darts title in 2023 catapulted him to global recognition and set him on a path to what has been a phenomenal 12 months. But with stiff competition from both seasoned veterans and rising stars, defending the World Grand Prix title will be no easy feat.

The World Grand Prix stands apart from other darts events due to its distinctive "double-start" format, where players must begin each leg by hitting a double. This adds an extra layer of pressure and strategy to the game, with even the most experienced players finding themselves struggling to get off the mark at times. Since its inception in 1998, the World Grand Prix has been one of the most prestigious tournaments on the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) calendar.

Past champions include some of the sport’s greatest names, including Phil Taylor, who holds the record with 11 World Grand Prix titles, and Michael van Gerwen, who has won six. The double-start format, however, makes it a notoriously difficult tournament to dominate, with several shock results over the years adding to its allure. Should Humphries successfully defend his title, he would join the exclusive club of players who have retained the World Grand Prix crown, alongside Taylor and van Gerwen.

Humphries made headlines at the 2023 World Grand Prix with a stunning performance, staging a remarkable comeback in the final against Gerwyn Price. After losing the first set 3-0, Humphries, once the World Youth Champion, turned the match on its head by winning nine of the next 11 legs, sealing a 5-2 victory and marking his first major TV title.

The journey to his victory was far from smooth. Defending champion Michael van Gerwen was eliminated early in the second round by Chris "Hollywood" Dobey, leaving the tournament wide open. Humphries, too, had to fight hard in the quarter-finals against Peter Wright. Trailing 2-1, he mounted a comeback to win 3-2 and progress. In the semi-finals, Humphries outclassed Joe Cullen, while Price dismantled Michael Smith, setting up a thrilling final.

That 2023 triumph was the launchpad for Humphries' meteoric rise. He’s since added the World Championship and World Matchplay titles to his growing list of accolades and enters the 2024 World Grand Prix as the man to beat.

In this year’s tournament, Humphries will begin his title defence against Stephen Bunting, the reigning Masters champion. At 39, Bunting is a seasoned player, and despite Humphries’ impressive form in 2024, Bunting will provide a stern test in the opening round.

The two last faced off in July during the World Matchplay second round, where Humphries emerged victorious 11-7, although it wasn’t an easy ride. Twice, Bunting went a break of throw up, forcing Humphries to battle back each time. The reigning World Champion eventually turned the game around, but the contest demonstrated Bunting's ability to challenge the best.

Bunting has had a stellar 2024 himself, with his most notable victory coming in February when he won his first televised PDC title at the Masters, defeating none other than Michael van Gerwen. The transition to using heavier 18-gram darts, as opposed to his former 12g barrel darts, has revitalised his game. With confidence high and a hunger to build on his success, Bunting will be looking to knock out Humphries and make a deep run in this year’s World Grand Prix.

One of the most highly anticipated first-round matches is the clash between world number 2, Michael Smith, and two-time World Champion Gary Anderson. Smith, who has established himself as one of the top players in the world, is seeking his first World Grand Prix title, but standing in his way is Anderson, who was runner-up in this tournament back in 2016.

Smith and Anderson last met during the World Matchplay in July. In that encounter, Smith came from 3-0 down to win 10-5 in a tense and, at times, fiery contest. Anderson, never one to shy away from the crowd, responded to jeers by gesturing “2-1” to remind fans of Scotland’s win over England in the Euro 2024 final. The dynamic between the two players makes this a must-watch match, with both men capable of going all the way.

At just 17 years old, Luke Littler is making waves in the darts world, and he’s set to make his World Grand Prix debut against Rob Cross in the first round. Littler, one of five players making their tournament debut, has enjoyed a remarkable rise in 2024, capturing five ranking titles and firmly establishing himself as a future star of the sport.

Littler and Cross last squared off at the Poland Darts Masters in June, with Littler coming out on top. The youngster has beaten Cross multiple times, with Cross’ only victory over Littler coming in February during the Premier League Darts in Exeter.

Littler holds the record for being the youngest player to hit a televised nine-darter, achieving the feat at just 16 years and 363 days at the Bahrain Darts Masters. Earlier this year, he also became the youngest-ever PDC Major title winner when he triumphed at the Premier League Darts at 17 years and 123 days. If he can navigate the tricky opening round, Littler could continue his incredible year with a strong World Grand Prix showing.

Six-time World Grand Prix champion Michael van Gerwen is back after missing several tournaments recently due to illness. Fresh off winning the Hungarian Darts Trophy in September, his first European Tour title in nearly 18 months, MVG will be eager to regain his World Grand Prix crown. His first-round opponent, Daryl Gurney, knows what it takes to win this tournament, having claimed the title in 2017.

Gurney, who defeated Simon Whitlock to win his Grand Prix title in Dublin, will provide stiff competition. However, van Gerwen’s pedigree at this event, where he is second only to Phil Taylor in terms of titles, makes him the favourite heading into their clash.

Another intriguing first-round matchup is the rematch between Raymond van Barneveld and Ricardo Pietreczko. The two faced off just last weekend in an epic encounter at the Swiss Darts Trophy second round, where van Barneveld narrowly came out on top with a 6-5 victory.

The 57-year-old Dutchman, twice a World Grand Prix runner-up, will be looking to roll back the years and make a deep run in this year’s tournament. Pietreczko, 29, was knocked during the early rounds last year’s Grand Prix and will be eager to make amends in Leicester.

Gerwyn Price, last year’s runner-up and the 2020 World Grand Prix champion, faces a tough opening-round test against Danny Noppert. Price, fresh from a dominant victory over Luke Littler at the Australian Darts Masters in August, will be looking to go one step further this year and reclaim the title.

Noppert, the Dutch number two, has had success against Price in the past, notably defeating him 6-3 in the last 16 of the 2024 PDC Players Championship 8. Noppert went on to win that tournament, and a similar result here would be a significant statement of intent.

There’s an added touch of class to this year’s tournament, as Boylesports has pledged to donate £20 to charity for every double 20 hit throughout the World Grand Prix. The player who hits the most double 20s will have the honour of choosing which charity the money goes to, adding a meaningful incentive to the tournament’s unique format.

As the 2024 World Grand Prix approaches, all eyes will be on Luke Humphries as he embarks on his title defence. With fierce competition from the likes of Luke Little, Michael Smith, and Michael van Gerwen, it won’t be an easy path. However, if Humphries can replicate his form from 2023 and rise to the occasion once again, he could very well join the select few who have been successful in retaining their World Grand Prix crown.

UK viewers can catch all the action on Sky Sports, while international viewers can tune in via the PDC’s broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay.

The prize pool includes £600,000 in prize money. This makes the prize pool now almost sixteen times larger than when the tournament started in 1998. Back then, "only" £38,000 was made available by the PDC.

All participants will receive 7,500 pounds of prize money credited to their ranking anyway. This amount can eventually add up to a grand prize of £120,000 for the winner of the tournament.