Preview World Grand Prix Monday night including Humphries-Aspinall and Anderson-Van Barneveld as top ties

Tonight at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, the World Grand Prix 2025 gets underway. This PDC major is known for its unique "double in-double out" format. This format always causes nerves among the players and therefore often brings surprises.

The field of participants at the World Grand Prix consists of 32 players. In addition to the top 16 of the world rankings, the sixteen best Pro Tour players also compete in this major tournament. Mike de Decker is the defending champion at the World Grand Prix after he defeated Luke Humphries in the 2024 final.
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Leading the lineup is world number one Humphries. New this year at the World Grand Prix is that the top-16 players in the world rankings are seeded at this tournament. In previous editions, this only applied to the top eight players.

Top players such as Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price are also among the seeded players and cannot meet until later in the tournament. They are paired with one of the players who qualified for this event via the Pro Tour in the first round.

In this article we give you a preview of the first eight matches from the first round scheduled for Monday night. Each will be played to best-of-3 sets.

The evening will be opened by an intriguing duel between former world champion Rob Cross and young Dutchman Wessel Nijman. For Nijman, it is his big chance to finally show himself on the highest stage after his impressive return to the professional circuit. Nijman made a name for himself just last week by winning the 30th Players Championship of the year. Cross, on the other hand, is a player who has been blowing a little hot and cold in recent months, but has plenty of experience. Given his status, Cross still starts this match as a slight favorite. However, if Nijman can pressure him right away and keep his nerves under control, a shock would not be out of the question.

Then follows a duel between two stalwarts of the European sub-top: Martin Schindler and Krzysztof Ratajski. Both are known for their soundness and disciplined style, but sometimes lack that little extra flair to storm the absolute top. Schindler has made great strides in recent years, though, with a number of titles on the European Tour. Ratajski, on the other hand, seems a bit searching, although his finishing percentage often remains deadly efficient.In a format where every missed double weighs heavily, this duel could be very exciting and it is difficult to pinpoint a clear favorite.

The third match of the evening promises spectacle, with Chris Dobey taking on the unpredictable Cameron Menzies. Dobey, a participant in this year's Premier League Darts, has the game to beat anyone, but also a tendency to get himself into trouble at times. Menzies is having a good year, but can sometimes completely fall through the ice when things don't go his way. Their clash can go either way - a quick 2-0 or a nerve-wracking deciding set.

Then a top tie featuring two established names: James Wade against Joe Cullen. Wade is a specialist in this tournament that he already managed to win once in 2007 and 2010. His composure and experience with double-in always make him dangerous. In fact, "The Machine" is currently brimming with confidence after already reaching two major finals this year. Cullen, on the other hand, is a player of streaks - he can be unapproachable for a series of legs, but just as easily fall away completely.The question is whether Cullen can find his timing against the rock-solid Wade, who rarely panics. If Cullen hits his doubles quickly, he can apply pressure via his fast pace. But if he misses those opportunities, Wade will strike mercilessly with his well-known clinical precision.

Then it's time for an all-Dutch affair. Danny Noppert has been camping in the top-16 for some time now, meets Jermaine Wattimena. Noppert is normally the favorite: his solid scoring level and reliable doubles make him a tough opponent for anyone. Yet the question is how he handles the rhythm of Wattimena, who with his fast style can sometimes completely determine the pace in a match.For both players there is a lot of pressure: Noppert wants to confirm that he is a title contender, Wattimena wants to prove that he also belongs on this stage. A Dutch winner is guaranteed - but who that will be is anything but certain.

Next it's time for a titanic battle: Luke Humphries against Nathan Aspinall. Humphries, former world champion and current world number one, has already won two majors this year. Moreover, he has good experience in the World Grand Prix, in 2023 he won this tournament, last year he was a losing finalist. With former major winner Aspinall, however, he has not been lucky with the draw. Aspinall may have dropped out of the top-20, but he remains a great player who knows what it takes to win a major tournament.Both players are known for their fighting spirit and high scoring ability. Potentially, then, this will be a particularly riveting duel.

Next up is a classic that will make darts fans worldwide salivate: Gary Anderson against Raymond van Barneveld. Two living legends, together good for dozens of major finals and memorable moments.Anderson, at 54, continues to pile up the high averages, although he has not performed as well on the majors as on the floor in recent years. Van Barneveld, on the other hand, remains a mystery: on his best days, he can still beat anyone, but his form changes from night to night.Their meeting evokes nostalgia - two masters who know each other through and through. The Scot may be the favorite at the moment, but anyone who has ever written Barneveld off knows he can come back from a barren trip.

The evening will conclude with the duel between Stephen Bunting and Niko Springer. Bunting is having a great year, with several titles, although still missing a major title. Springer is the coming man from Germany, technically gifted and fearless.The difference in experience could be decisive, but the young Springer has shown on several occasions that he is not intimidated. If he finds his rhythm from the start, this duel could last longer than expected. Still, Bunting, with his pace and smooth throw, seems a safe choice to end the evening winningly.