Luke Littler Ends Mike De Decker’s Title Defence to Set Up Blockbuster Clash with Gerwyn Price

Round two of The World Grand Prix continued with former 6-time champion Michael Van Gerwen’s first round conqueror Dirk Van Duijvenbode taking on the equally impressive first round victor Daryl Gurney following his 2-0 victory over Ross Smith.

With Aubergenius now recovered from his injuries his form must surely improve and the first leg was evidence of this potential as he was able to get straight in, as did Superchin. Van Duijvenbode was also the first to hit a maximum. He then had a dart at the bull to claim the leg but missed and this allowed Gurney a look at double sixteen which was also missed and Van Duijvenbode was able to pin double eight for the hold.

Gurney failed to get going in the second leg and by the time he did hit a double at the eighth attempt, Van Duijvenbode was well in the lead. The break was on and although he missed numerous darts at double he did eventually take out double ten and led 2-0. He then hit three scores of over 100 and left 36 which he duly took out quickly on double eighteen to take the leg and win the first set.

Gurney began the second set without his struggles starting and got straight in but some high scoring from Van Duijvenbode gave him the advantage and he won the leg in fourteen darts to break again.

Gurney again struggled at the start of the leg but some good scores including a maximum allowed him a look at 109 but he just missed double eighteen for the break and Dirk pinned double top to hold and lead 2-0. With Gurney struggling with his opening double again this allowed Van Duijvenbode to surge into the lead and he again took out double eighteen to win the second set and still be in position for a whitewash. Gurney at this stage was on a success rate of just 24% on his opening doubles.

Gurney was straight in at the start of the third set but in a competitive leg Van Duijvenbode hit a 180 and missed double eighteen at the end of a 153 checkout. He was back to take out double nine however and hold for a 1-0 lead. Van Duijvenbode’s impressive scoring continued starting with 152 and two more scores over 100 before checking out 86 with two darts to leave himself one leg away from victory and a lead of 8-0 in legs.

Another competitive leg ended with Gurney attempting two darts at double top but just missing the second one inside. He did return for double ten and took that out to break the throw and win his first leg of the match. Gurney trailed in the next leg despite being first to throw but after Dirk only scoring 45 when on 192, Gurney was able to get a chance at 84 and took it out in two darts to level the set at 2-2.

Another competitive leg in this set and possibly match decider saw Dirk Van Duijvenbode get to a finish of 158. He returned and magnificently took it out to win the match 3-0 and progress at the expense of a rueful Daryl Gurney who will regret his starting woes. Another impressive display from the 2020 runner-up sees him advance with an average of 96.40.

Clayton ferrets out a win against Woodhouse

The second last-16 match of the night in this edition of the World Grand Prix saw sixth seed Jonny Clayton taking on the unseeded Luke Woodhouse after Woody’s perhaps surprising first round win against Damon Heta.

Both players were humble about their own chances pre-match with Clayton saying of his opponent: “He is playing good darts. Hopefully I get away and finish quicker than him. Hopefully it is my night.” Woodhouse said: “Jonny is a fantastic player, a proven player for years, a champion in many majors. But hopefully I can push him.”

Both players were straight in in the first leg of the match and both players scored slowly before Clayton scored 139 to leave himself 90 which he then took out in two darts to hold. The second law saw Woodhouse fall behind until the first maximum of the match and then a 133 left him on double eight. He couldn’t take it out but Clayton also struggled to win the leg missing darts at tops and Woodhouse finally got the match level pinning double two.

In the third leg a maximum from The Ferret left him on 152 with Woody struggling to stay with him and he took out 92 in three darts to hold again and lead 2-1. Clayton took his time to get started in the fourth leg and fell behind in the leg but another maximum left him 134 and when Woodhouse failed to take out 115 and then couldn’t checkout 40, Clayton returned and took out 42 with his last dart on double eight to break the throw and win the first set.

Woodhouse was able to hold his throw in the first leg of the second set taking out double ten at the third attempt with Clayton on eighteen. Clayton then struggled to get started in the next leg and comfortably got the break to take a 2-0 lead in the set. Woodhouse threw for the set in the third leg and with Clayton again struggling he was able to get to 70 with Clayton on 174 and although he missed double four he returned and checked out on double two to win the second set 3-0 and level the match.

Clayton started the third set with a comfortable fourteen-dart hold taking out 78 with two darts on double twelve. In the next leg a 135 midway through the leg from Clayton put the pressure on and two poor scoring visits gave Clayton the advantage and he pinned double ten to break and go 2-0 up. A poor start from Clayton in the third leg saw Woodhouse lead but a 177 at the right time gave The Ferret a look at 78 for the set but he missed tops with his third dart and Woody broke with his first dart at double eight to win the leg. Clayton started the next leg with 152 followed by 100 to gain the advantage in the leg and a 137 meant he had 112 to win the third set. He missed the double sixteen however but Woodhouse missed his second dart at treble twenty for a 170 checkout and Clayton returned to pin that double sixteen to lead 2-1 in sets.

Woodhouse started the fourth set but after only leaving 100 from 160 Clayton was able to break again on double sixteen and lead 1-0. An increasingly frustrated looking Woodhouse struggled to start in the second leg and Clayton was able to take out 72 in two darts with Woodhouse way behind. Woodhouse looked exasperated even after hitting a maximum in the next leg but he left 72 and was also able to take it out in two darts on double twelve to win the leg. Clayton started the fourth leg with 112, 140 and 99 to leave 150 and with Woodhouse on 233 the writing was on the wall. Clayton had a dart at bull for the match but when Woodhouse scored 26 from 152 Clayton came back to the board but made a mess of his finish. Woodhouse had a dart at bull himself to keep the match going but could only hit the 25 segment and Clayton hit double sixteen to progress 3-1 in sets with an average of just 85.67 and will play Dirk Van Duijvenbode in the next round.

Littler goes fishing to send the reigning champion home

The third match of the night at this year’s World Grand Prix saw darting phenomenon and current World Champion Luke Littler taking on the reigning champion Mike De Decker.

The first three legs went with throw with Littler hitting a few maximums on the way. In the fourth leg Mike De Decker struggled to hit a starting double and Littler cruised to a 1-0 lead in sets with little fuss and looked like he was in the mood to play well.

The second set started with what looked like a straightforward hold for De Decker before he erred when on 73 and The Nuke took out 95 on double top to break. De Decker then took 5 darts to hit his opening double in the next leg and Littler was on 100 with De Decker on 291. Littler missed two darts at tops to win the leg but took out 20 on double five to hold and move 2-0 ahead. Littler again took the lead in the next leg and with six darts at 130 it seemed he would win this set without reply. He made a mess of his doubles however and when he failed to take out double one De Decker was able to win the leg for what was only a hold of throw. Littler began the next leg and was straight in but it took until his seventh dart for De Decker to hit his opening double and although he took his time Littler did win the set on double ten to move 2-0 ahead.

Littler started the third set strongly again and left 12 with De Decker on 170. De Decker missed his second dart at treble twenty and Littler returned to lead 1-0. De Decker played well in the next leg but when De Decker failed to take out 68 on double 16 Littler was able to take out 91 on double top and move ahead 2-0 and throw for the match. Littler was straight off again and left 170 with De Decker on 287. Littler then sent the crowd crazy taking out the big fish to win the leg and the match to advance to the quarter-finals comfortably with an average of 91.86 and end the reign of De Decker.

Price confidently demolishes Rock

Gerwyn Price took on Josh Rock in the final match of the last-16 to determine the final quarter-finalist.

In the first leg Price oddly started on double thirteen and missed them all with his first three darts. He persevered and landed it with his fifth attempt. Rock had a chance at double to break the throw but couldn’t and Price was perhaps lucky to hold, taking out tops to move into a 1-0 lead. Rock levelled the match in the next leg, taking out 106 on double sixteen. Rock had another chance to break in the next leg but couldn’t take out the 104 and Price held his throw on double ten. Some poor scoring from Rocky allowed The Iceman to take the advantage and leave 32 and although he couldn’t check out Rock couldn’t finish 130 and Price won the set on double two.

At the start of the second set Price continued starting the legs on double thirteen and some decent scoring and Price was able to break the throw on double twelve. Price easily held his throw in the next leg to move into a 2-0 lead. Price hit two maximums in the next leg but Rock almost took out the maximum finish with two darts at treble twenty and just missed the bull. Price was able to finish 35 on double twelve and moved to 2-0 in sets.

Rock started the next leg with a 146 and also nailed a maximum but when he couldn’t take out 56 Price returned to checkout on double top and hold his throw. An exciting leg for the crowd followed with three 180s in a row thrown but two of those were for Price and he broke the throw with an eleven dart leg to move a leg away from victory. Rock took nine darts to hit his opening double in the next leg and Price was able to leave 80 with Rock still on 281. Under no pressure Price missed two darts at double ten and Rock hit a 180 after geeing up the crowd before his third dart but Price returned and checked out with his first date to set up a quarter-final with Luke Littler with an average of 92.46 and a checkout percentage of 50%.

Luke Littler Ends Mike De Decker’s Title Defence to Set Up Blockbuster Clash with Gerwyn Price

2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix

Thursday October 9

4x Round Two matches

Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-0 Daryl Gurney

Jonny Clayton 3-1 Luke Woodhouse

Luke Littler 3-0 Mike De Decker

Gerwyn Price 3-0 Josh Rock

Friday October 10 (1900 BST)

4x Quarter-Finals

Danny Noppert v Gary Anderson

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Jonny Clayton

Luke Littler v Gerwyn Price

Luke Humphries v Cameron Menzies

Author John Wells