Day one of the 2024 World Grand Prix Darts saw plenty of drama, including Rob Cross defeating pre-tournament favourite Luke Littler in an excellent game.

Now we move onto day two as the eight remaining round one ties take place, with the potential for more huge upsets as the short first to two sets format continues.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of tonight’s action, as four former World Grand Prix champions take to the stage in Leicester tonight.

Van Gerwen, Gurney, Price and Wade all bid for another World Grand Prix title

The penultimate match of the night is the only match involving two former World Grand Prix winners, as six time champion Michael van Gerwen plays 2017 winner Daryl Gurney.

Van Gerwen last won this event in 2022, and is defending the prize money won on that occasion on his ranking this time around. For Gurney, this is another chance to qualify for the last 16 of this event, something he’s only done once since 2019.

The Green Machine has won both of their matchups in set play, including at the semi final stage in 2018. Can he make it three in a row, or can Superchin, who looked in good touch at the last block of Pro Tour events, beat van Gerwen for the first time in set play?

The winner of that game takes on the winner of the last game of the night, as Chris Dobey and Joe Cullen battle in what could be an absolute belter.

Dobey made his first ever TV semi final at this event in 2019, and has made the quarter finals the last two years. Cullen will be looking to make his first ranking TV final in Leicester this year, having made the semi finals 12 months ago.

The Rockstar beat Hollywood in the quarter finals last year, and has won all of their ranked TV major battles. Will Cullen continue that trend, or can Dobey finally get over the line in a big TV ranking event against him?

Another former World Grand Prix champion in the shape of Gerwyn Price is also in action in Leicester. He takes on Danny Noppert, who famously dumped out Van Gerwen in round one back in 2021.

Since winning the title in 2020, The Iceman has been to the final twice, losing to both Jonny Clayton in 2021, and Humphries in 2023. Noppie by contrast has only been past the second round in this tournament once in his career.

12 months ago they met at this stage, with Price coming out on top in straight sets. However, the Dutchman did win their last TV clash at the 2023 European Championship. Will it be a repeat of last year, or revenge?

Peter Wright or James Wade awaits the winner of that game, as Snakebite and The Machine also do battle tonight. Wright has made the semi final of this event just once in his career, while Wade won this title in both 2007 and 2010, but has not made the quarter finals since 2015, only making round two twice.

These two have only met four times in their illustrious careers in ranked majors, with Wright winning all three. Will that continue, or can Wade finally beat Wright in a TV ranking contest?

Another meeting between Smith and Anderson

The headline match of the night however is arguably Michael Smith against Gary Anderson, in a rematch of round one at the 2024 World Matchplay.

Anderson made the final of this event back in 2016, but has not made it past the quarter finals since then. Smith’s record is similarly not great. Last year’s semi final run was the first year he made it past the second round, having qualified for every event bar one since 2012.

Bully Boy got the better of The Flying Scotsman back in July, and has won the last six meetings between the pair. Will that record continue, or can Anderson beat his mentee and back up his recent Pro Tour title win with victory in Leicester?

The winner will take on either Mike De Decker or Damon Heta, who play each other in the third match of the night. Both these men have never gone past the first round of this event, with Heta going out three years in a row, and De Decker exiting in round one last year.

This will be the first time the pair have met on a TV stage against each other. De Decker beat The Heat in their only meeting this year at the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen, but playing in front of the big TV cameras will be a completely different test. Who will make it to round two of the World Grand Prix for the first time?

The first match of the night sees Dave Chisnall play Cameron Menzies. Chizzy has won two European Tour titles this year, while Menzies has played some excellent stuff in 2024, making his World Grand Prix debut off the back of losing a Pro Tour final to Dobey in August.

Chizzy made the final of this event back in 2019, but has still yet to get over the hump and win his first TV major title. Is this the week that the man from St Helens finally translates his floor form to the TV?

Chisnall beat Menzies 3-0 at the World Championships last year in their only previous TV game, so can he do the same again? Or will Cammy turn the tables in his first Grand Prix game?

The winner of that game will play either Luke Woodhouse or UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh. Woodhouse made the second round on debut last year, while Van den Bergh’s best effort at this event was the quarter finals in 2022, the only time he’s made it past the second round in five previous attempts.

Woody beat The Dream Maker at the 2021 UK Open, but Van den Bergh won their only previous meeting in set play, at the 2019 World Championships. Who will take their third ever meeting on TV and move into the second round of the 2024 World Grand Prix?

A bumper night of darts gets underway from 18.00 BST this evening.

2024 World Grand Prix Day Two Schedule of Play

Tuesday 7 October (1800 BST) – Mattioli Arena, Leicester

Round One x8

Dave Chisnall v Cameron Menzies

Luke Woodhouse v Dimitri Van den Bergh

Mike De Decker v Damon Heta

Peter Wright v James Wade

Gerwyn Price v Danny Noppert

Michael Smith v Gary Anderson

Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney

Chris Dobey v Joe Cullen