World champion Littler suffers shock first-round exit at World Grand Prix
Defending champion Luke Littler was knocked out in the first round of the World Grand Prix in Leicester by Luke Woodhouse, while six-time winner Michael van Gerwen also crashed out.
The World Grand Prix in Leicester produced a major upset on Monday as defending champion and world number one Luke Littler was eliminated in the first round by Luke Woodhouse. The 19-year-old had hoped to bounce back after his quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton at the World Series of Darts Finals just over a week earlier, but form deserted him again.
Littler took the opening set but struggled for the rest of the best-of-three match, managing an average of just 82.41. Woodhouse capitalised to level the contest, then sealed a 3-1 win in legs in the deciding set with a 75 checkout.
Woodhouse now advances to face 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall in the last 16, after Aspinall edged past Dutch debutant Kevin Doets 2-1.
Van Gerwen also falls
Earlier in the day, six-time champion Michael van Gerwen suffered his own shock, losing five of the last six legs as 2024 semi-finalist Ryan Joyce fought back to win 2-1. Joyce will next face Dutchman Danny Noppert, who beat Germany's Niko Springer by the same 2-1 scoreline.
Other results
Wales' Gerwyn Price dropped just a single leg in a comfortable 2-0 win over Poland's Sebastian Bialecki, setting up a clash with England's Ross Smith, who came from behind to beat Scotland's Cameron Menzies 2-1. Elsewhere, Jonny Clayton narrowly beat Krzysztof Ratajski 2-1 and will face the Netherlands' Wessel Nijman, who defeated 2018 world champion Rob Cross in straight sets.
