Preview Friday night Grand Slam of Darts: Price, Humphries, Smith, and Evans battle for semi-final spots

The 2025 Grand Slam of Darts continues in Wolverhampton, with Friday night consisting of two knockout games. With a place in the semi-final on the line, previous winners such as Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith must perform. 

The Grand Slam of Darts remains one of the most distinctive events on the PDC calendar. Unlike other majors, such as the World Championship or World Matchplay, the Grand Slam begins with a round-robin group stage, followed by a traditional knockout format featuring 16 players.

Gerwyn Price has entered the tournament in excellent shape. He recently claimed his fourth Players Championship title of 2025, averaging 109.28 and landing 13 maximums in the final of Event 26. In the group stage of the 2025 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts, Price registered dominant wins over Stefan Bellmont and James Wade to top Group D.

Ricky Evans, meanwhile, has been something of an underdog story. He admitted that he “wasn’t meant to be here” after edging Price 5-4 in their opening group match, a performance that stunned many and put him firmly in contention

In Group D, Evans’ victory over Price gave him a strong platform early on. Although James Wade beat Evans 5-2, that result did not derail Evans’ progression; he advanced to the knockout stage.

Price responded with a 5-0 demolition of Wade, showing his ability to bounce back and assert his class after the opening loss.

Luke Humphries arrived at the Grand Slam of Darts in strong form. He booked his spot in the last despite nursing an injury, posting a dominant 10-3 win in the second round. Crucially, in the group stage, he produced a thrilling performance against Michael Smith, where he hit a nine-dart finish to close the match, a moment that secured the win.

Smith’s form has been more dramatic; he progressed from his group with a 5-2 win over Alex Spellman. In the last 16, Smith pulled out some impressive finishes, including a 164 out. "Bullyboy" progressed into the last eight via a tense last-leg victory over Chris Dobey, surviving 11 missed match darts. While Smith’s scoring power remains elite, his recent form suggests he’s been under more pressure and perhaps less comfortable than Humphries.  

Both players were in Group A. Humphries secured his progression in style by beating Smith 5-3 in their head-to-head, thanks to that nine-darter. Smith recovered to claim second place in the group, meaning he qualified but with less dominance than Humphries. Humphries finishing top of the group gives him the psychological edge; he’s got the momentum, form, and the head-to-head victory already under his belt.