✅ Damon Heta ✅ Gary Anderson ✅ James Wade ✅ Dimitri Van den Bergh ✅ Luke Humphries Mike De Decker defeats five of the sport's biggest names to secure his maiden televised title! 🏆 What a run. What a story! 👏
ANALYSIS: Why were there so many upsets at the 2024 World Grand Prix?
PDCTuesday, 15 October 2024 at 06:00
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.
Double-in double-out: The key to chaos?
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 run
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.
MvG struggles
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.
The Nuke is tamed
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.
King slayer
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.
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Latest comments
- @UndartedWaters I totally agree with your thoughts! I totally respect Kirk but in this instance I was disappointed with his lack of crowd control. I even turned to my husband and said "Could you imagine this happening if Russ Bray was the referee tonight? At least there would have been a crowd admonishment- Ladies and Gentleman please." I so felt for Mike DeDecker...MamaVenus15-11-2024
- Many fans had a sour taste in their mouth by the end of this match. Mike was cruising to victory, playing beautiful darts, when the whistling started in earnest, particularly on his doubles. You could see in Mike's face that it was really affecting his concentration. The referee should have asked for order, just to show that the whistling is unacceptable, and Luke Littler could also have done his part to quieten down the crowd instead of "taking full advantage.:" I put that down to his age though. He needs some good advice on this from his management team and/or more seasoned players. It's got to be about who's best on the night, not who is being harassed by the crowd. Luke Littler played well to get back into the game and win, but it was a hollow victory. If he goes on to win the tournament, that triumph too will be tainted because of this match.
UndartedWaters15-11-2024 - Agree. Van der voort will be the one taking a break when he loses his tour card. Everyone saying about how bad Wright's last 18 months have been, and in that time he's won several Euro tours and the European Championships.Matilda6215-11-2024
- When Littler has at least five ranking Majors he’s in the discussion, until then, forget it.Mysstree14-11-2024
- This is the difference between other players and Phil Taylor. Phil would be completely motivated even before his walk on and didn't need anything else to do so.richieburnettrocks14-11-2024