ANALYSIS: Why were there so many upsets at the 2024 World Grand Prix?

On Sunday night, Mike De Decker shocked the darts world by claiming the 2024 World Grand Prix title, defeating World Champion Luke Humphries in an electrifying 6-4 final in Leicester. At 28 years old, De Decker from Mechelen, Belgium, entered the tournament as an underdog and left as a history-maker. His walk-on song, Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds," perfectly symbolized his mentality throughout the tournament: don't worry about a thing.

But De Decker's final victory wasn’t the only surprise this year. The 2024 World Grand Prix was riddled with upsets, with pre-tournament favourites dumped out from the very first round. Let’s take a look back at what was an epic World Grand Prix.

The World Grand Prix is unique among darts tournaments due to its "double-in, double-out" format. Unlike other events, where players simply have to hit a double to finish a leg, here they must also hit a double to start. This twist can catch even the best players off guard. It turns each leg into a potential minefield where nerves, accuracy, and timing are tested more than usual.

This format played a significant role in many of the upsets at the 2024 edition. For seasoned players, the pressure of starting and finishing on a double can sometimes be a hurdle. This was evident as even players like Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson, both former champions and seasoned veterans, found themselves vulnerable under the unique conditions.

De Decker's remarkable victory, where he overturned a nervy start to beat Humphries, encapsulated this perfectly. Both players experienced moments of brilliance and lapses of form. The back-and-forth nature of their final, particularly in sets 5 and 6, where De Decker missed crucial doubles only to recover and pull ahead, showed how the format introduces unpredictability into every leg. De Decker thrived under this tension, capitalizing on Humphries’ mistakes while holding his nerve in key moments.

Mike De Decker’s triumph in Leicester is not just a story of an underdog rising to the occasion; it may the announcement of another star on the global scene. In the final, Humphries took an early 2-0 lead in the opening set, and it looked like De Decker was out of his depth. However, the Belgian roared back to level the set at 2-2, even missing a dart to win it before Humphries punished him. Despite this setback, De Decker remained composed and turned the tables, winning the next two sets in commanding fashion.

By the time De Decker moved 4-1 ahead, it looked like the title was within his grasp. But just as his nerves started to creep back in, Humphries, true to his world champion status, produced one of his now-famous five-minute spells of brilliance. In set 6, Humphries saved the match with a 149 checkout followed by a stunning 152 finish, pulling a set back. He levelled the match at 4-4 after De Decker had gone 2-0 up in set 7, and the momentum seemed to have shifted entirely to the Englishman.

Yet, De Decker didn’t crumble. In set 9, he regained his composure, winning it 3-1, moving just one set away from the title. Despite the mounting tension in set 10, De Decker nailed double top with his first match dart to secure his place in history as the 2024 World Grand Prix champion. This victory wasn’t just about his final performance, though, it capped off an underdog run that saw him take down big names like Gary Anderson earlier in the tournament, where he handed the Scotsman a brutal 3-0 defeat in round two.

Few upsets were more shocking than Michael van Gerwen’s early exit. The Dutchman, who has won the World Grand Prix six times, was one of the favourites to win again in 2024. However, Daryl Gurney had other ideas. In a stunning first-round encounter, Gurney whitewashed van Gerwen, winning all six legs in straight sets. This was the first time in 13 years that van Gerwen had been whitewashed in a televised ranking match, a defeat that will undoubtedly rank as one of the worst of his career.

Van Gerwen entered the tournament as the world number three, having won 89 PDC Pro Tour events, second only to the legendary Phil Taylor. But against Gurney, he looked completely out of sorts, struggling to hit doubles in the double-in, double-out format and failing to win a single leg. Gurney, on the other hand, was in sensational form, taking full advantage of van Gerwen's struggles and punishing him at every opportunity.

Gurney's victory over van Gerwen was perhaps the clearest example of how the World Grand Prix's unique format can level the playing field. Even the very best players in the world can be made to look ordinary if they can't find their rhythm on the doubles, and van Gerwen’s early exit was a testament to that.

Luke Littler, the 17-year-old sensation who has dominated headlines over the past year, entered the 2024 World Grand Prix as a pre-tournament favourite despite his young age. His debut at Leicester's Mattioli Arena was highly anticipated, but it was short-lived. Littler faced off against 2018 World Championship winner Rob Cross in the first round and was edged out in a 2-1 defeat.

Despite showing flashes of his incredible potential, Littler struggled with the double-start format, something that many young players find challenging. Although he managed to level the match at 1-1 after being edged out in the first set, Cross held his nerve and finished with a bullseye in the fourth set to claim his third victory in the tournament.

Littler’s debut may not have gone as planned, but his six maximums in the tie-up and his ability to stay competitive against a veteran like Cross show that his time will come. The double-in, double-out format may have been too steep a learning curve this time, but Littler is a star in the making, and he could redeem himself as early as next months Grand Slam of Darts.

Gary Anderson, a two-time World Champion, was another high-profile casualty of the 2024 World Grand Prix, falling to none other than Mike De Decker in round two. Anderson, who has had a resurgence in form in recent years, was expected to go deep in the tournament. However, De Decker raced into the lead, whitewashing Anderson in the first set before finishing the second set with a 120 checkout and holding his throw in the third to secure a 3-0 victory.

Like van Gerwen, Anderson is a player who has struggled with the double-in, double-out format in the past. His defeat at the hands of De Decker was a reminder that no player is safe in this tournament, no matter their pedigree.

The 2024 World Grand Prix will be remembered as a tournament full of epic contests and big name exits. The unique double-in, double-out format, combined with the pressure of starting on a double, creates the perfect conditions for surprises. Even the most seasoned players like van Gerwen and Anderson found themselves on the wrong side of results, while underdogs like Mike De Decker seized the moment and made history.

In the end, the World Grand Prix is a tournament that demands both technical skill and mental resilience. Players who can handle the pressure and adapt to the unique demands of the format have the potential to thrive, while even the most decorated champions can stumble. For Mike De Decker, it was a dream come true. For others, it was a harsh reminder of the unpredictability of the sport.