World Grand Prix 2026: Luke Littler’s title defence ends in opening-night shock as Michael van Gerwen also crashes out and Gerwyn Price hits 100+ average

Luke Littler’s World Grand Prix title defence lasted just one match as Luke Woodhouse beat the world number one 2–1 on a dramatic opening night in Leicester. Six-time champion Michael van Gerwen also fell in the first round, losing a deciding set to Ryan Joyce, while Gerwyn Price’s dominant win set up a rematch with Ross Smith.

Woodhouse had looked in trouble after missing several doubles late in the opening set, allowing Littler to snatch it despite struggling to find his rhythm. A 13-darter had brought Woodhouse level earlier in the set, but missed chances across double 20, double 10 and double five eventually allowed the defending champion to break and take it 3–1.

Woodhouse regrouped, holding throw throughout the second set before finding double 16 in its deciding leg. He then broke Littler at the start of the third with a 60 finish.

Littler missed chances to break straight back, going inside double 20, double 10 and double five. Woodhouse moved a leg from victory and, after Littler briefly kept the match alive with a 98 checkout, took out 75 on double 12 to seal one of the biggest wins of his career. Littler averaged 82.41 to Woodhouse’s 82.51 as his defence ended just eight days after his World Series Finals exit.

Van Gerwen won a deciding leg to take the first set against Joyce, whose finishes of 92 and 110 had kept him in contention. The Dutchman continued to create opportunities, but his missed doubles gave the 2024 semi-finalist a route back.

Joyce opened the second set with a 118 checkout and, although Van Gerwen levelled after a prolonged struggle on the outer ring, the Englishman took the next two legs to force a decider.

Van Gerwen was just four from 22 on finishing doubles when Joyce broke at the start of the third set. The Dutchman immediately broke back, only to miss two darts at double eight in the next leg. Joyce punished him with another 65 checkout on double 18.

Van Gerwen then wired the bull for a match-saving 86 and Joyce finished on double nine to complete his 2–1 comeback. Van Gerwen averaged 87.10 in defeat, with Joyce progressing on 85.21. Woodhouse will face Nathan Aspinall in round two, while Joyce meets Danny Noppert.

Price produced the highest average of the night, 101.61, in a 2–0 win over Sebastian Bialecki. He opened with a 12-darter and a 104 checkout, swept the first set and took out 120 twice in the second.

Even three missed starting doubles at the beginning of set two failed to derail him. Price followed with visits of 160 and 180 before completing the first of those Shanghai finishes. Bialecki briefly responded with an 86 checkout, but Price took the next two legs to book another meeting with Smith, who beat him in the World Series Finals final eight days ago.

Smith came far closer to an early exit. Cameron Menzies swept the opening set, hitting a 158 finish to break throw before sealing it with a 71 checkout.

Smith responded with a 109 finish and moved 2–0 ahead in set two, only for Menzies to fight back and earn two match darts at tops. Both went begging, and Smith forced a decider on double 10.

The World Series champion then struck 13 and 12-dart legs to take control. Menzies missed three further darts to stay alive before Smith finished on tops for a 2–1 victory with a 99.54 average.

Aspinall had to recover from a set and two legs down against Kevin Doets, who missed three match darts in the second set. After surviving those chances, Aspinall produced a brilliant 10-darter to force a third.

Doets moved ahead again and was waiting on 52 for the match when Aspinall took out 115 to force a final leg. Despite missing two match darts of his own, the 2022 runner-up returned to finish on double nine and complete his escape.

Jonny Clayton also needed three sets against Krzysztof Ratajski. The Welshman recovered from 2–0 down to steal the opener and hit a 127 finish on the bull early in set two, but missed a match dart before Ratajski forced a decider.

Clayton broke twice in the final set, then survived five missed darts from Ratajski to stay in the match before eventually closing out a scrappy 2–1 win.

Wessel Nijman will face Clayton after beating Rob Cross 2–0 in the last match of the night. Cross missed five darts to win the opening set and later busted when aiming for double four. Nijman endured his own finishing troubles, missing four match darts before finally getting over the line.

Noppert had opened proceedings with a 2–1 win over Niko Springer. The Dutchman won the first five legs, including a 112 checkout and a 90 finish on the bull, before Springer saved a match dart and fought back to level the contest.

Noppert recovered to sweep the deciding set, taking advantage when Springer needed 11 darts to get started in its second leg. A 60 checkout completed the win and secured his meeting with Joyce on Wednesday.