Luke Woodhouse dumped out reigning champion Luke Littler on a remarkable opening night at the BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix, as six-time champion Michael van Gerwen also crashed out in Leicester. Woodhouse fought back from a set behind to stun Littler at the Mattioli Arena on Monday, recording one of the biggest wins of his […]
Luke Woodhouse dumped out reigning champion Luke Littler on a remarkable opening night at the BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix, as six-time champion Michael van Gerwen also crashed out in Leicester.
Woodhouse fought back from a set behind to stun Littler at the Mattioli Arena on Monday, recording one of the biggest wins of his career to set up a tantalising tussle against Nathan Aspinall.
Despite claiming a scrappy opening stanza, Littler was unable to conjure his brilliant best, as Woodhouse produced a tenacious response in set two to restore parity.
The 37-year-old then punished uncharacteristic errors from the world number one to lead 2-0 in the third and decisive set, before sealing a landmark win with a nerveless two-dart 75 outshot.
“I’m a bit all over the shop at the moment,” reflected Woodhouse, who has won two ranking titles in a breakthrough 2026 campaign.
“It’s the first time I’ve played him on a main stage, and safe to say I was shaking a little bit!
“I think it was a scrappy game. Of course, I’ll take the win. To beat someone of the stature of Luke Littler, it’s nice.
“It’s a very short format. When the games get longer, Luke gets better, so I just tried my best to put him under as much pressure as I could.”
Littler’s hopes of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of Premier titles were curtailed in Amsterdam last weekend, and Woodhouse added further gloom by ending the World Champion’s 36-match winning run in PDC televised ranking events.
Van Gerwen was another high-profile casualty on Day One of the unique double-start event, succumbing to a clinical display from 2024 semi-finalist Ryan Joyce.
The Dutch superstar seized the early initiative, but Joyce’s trademark combination finishing proved decisive, as he converted 92, 110 and 118 checkouts en route to a deciding-set victory.
Joyce’s reward will be a showdown against two-time semi-finalist Danny Noppert, who fended off a mid-game fightback from Niko Springer to maintain his impressive record in the East Midlands.
Gerwyn Price and Ross Smith will also renew their rivalry in round two, in a repeat of their clash in the showpiece at last weekend’s World Series of Darts Finals.
Price produced the performance of Monday’s opening night, averaging 101.61 in his straight-sets demolition of debutant Sebastian Bialecki.
The 2020 champion was imperious from start to finish at the Mattioli Arena, winning six of the seven legs played while also landing a brace of 120 finishes in the closing stages.
“I think I played pretty decent in that game,” claimed Price, one of four former champions left in the field.
“I don’t care about anyone else or sending a message out, but it gives me a bit of confidence with the new darts and the new points.
“I knew they were good but they’re going to get better!”
Smith, meanwhile, fought back from a set adrift to defeat Cameron Menzies in a high-quality tussle, defying a blistering early barrage from the Scot and two match darts to triumph with a 99.54 average.
Elsewhere, 2022 runner-up Aspinall battled back from the brink to topple Dutch debutant Kevin Doets, who squandered three match darts for a straight-sets victory.
The Stockport star subsequently drew level with a sensational ten-darter, before producing a skin-saving 115 checkout in the penultimate leg of the contest.
2021 champion Jonny Clayton also opened his title challenge with a hard-fought victory against Poland’s premier player Krzysztof Ratajski, pinning 64% of his attempts at a starting double.
Clayton will now play Wessel Nijman for a place in the last eight, after the rising Dutch star overcame Rob Cross in straight-sets, avenging his defeat to the former World Champion in Leicester last year.
The 2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix continues on Tuesday evening, as round one draws to a close.
World number two Luke Humphries begins his title bid against two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall, as Gian van Veen and Dirk van Duijvenbode go head-to-head in an all-Dutch affair.
Two-time champion James Wade begins his 22nd consecutive double-start campaign against Joe Cullen, while 2016 runner-up Gary Anderson takes on Australian number one Damon Heta.
The BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
Click here for match stats & results.
2026 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix
Monday September 28
Round One x8
Danny Noppert 2-1 Niko Springer (3-0, 2-3, 3-0)
Ross Smith 2-1 Cameron Menzies (0-3, 3-2, 3-0)
Nathan Aspinall 2-1 Kevin Doets (1-3, 3-2, 3-2)
Jonny Clayton 2-1 Krzysztof Ratajski (3-2, 2-3, 3-2)
Gerwyn Price 2-0 Sebastian Bialecki (3-0, 3-1)
Ryan Joyce 2-1 Michael van Gerwen (2-3, 3-1, 3-1)
Luke Woodhouse 2-1 Luke Littler (1-3, 3-2, 3-1)
Wessel Nijman 2-0 Rob Cross (3-2, 3-1)
Tuesday September 29 (1800 BST)
Round One x8
Chris Dobey v Jermaine Wattimena
Ryan Searle v William O’Connor
Josh Rock v Niels Zonneveld
James Wade v Joe Cullen
Gary Anderson v Damon Heta
Gian van Veen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Luke Humphries v Dave Chisnall
Stephen Bunting v Andrew Gilding
Best of Three Sets
Wednesday September 30 (1900 BST)
Round Two x4
Danny Noppert v Ryan Joyce
Jonny Clayton v Wessel Nijman
Gerwyn Price v Ross Smith
Luke Woodhouse v Nathan Aspinall
Best of Five Sets