Luke Humphries, Gary Anderson and Stephen Bunting were three of the seeds who avoided an early exit on night one of the World Grand Prix in Leicester.
Humphries won through a blockbuster clash against 2022 runner-up Aspinall on Day One of the double-start showpiece, as three seeded stars suffered early exits at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.
The world number one defied a spectacular 170 checkout from Aspinall to win a hard-fought opening set, before powering in a magnificent 156 of his own en route to a straight-sets success.
“It was a big game tonight,” reflected 2023 champion Humphries, also the runner-up 12 months ago.
This was peak Wayne Mardle 🤣
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180)
“Nathan is a fantastic player, but he let me in a couple of times, and that 156 was massive for myself.
“My starting doubles were good and they usually are here. My scoring wasn’t as strong, but hopefully I can come back on Wednesday and be better.”
Nathan Aspinall reels in the BIG FISH! 🎣
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts)
Humphries will be joined in round two by 2016 runner-up Anderson, who edged out his old adversary Van Barneveld in a last-leg thriller to book his place in round two.
Van Barneveld withstood an early barrage from Anderson to force a deciding leg, only for the Scot to produce a late flurry to set up a showdown against 2023 semi-finalist Joe Cullen.
WHAT DRAMA! Gary Anderson beats Raymond Van Barneveld in a final-leg thriller! 🙌
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts)
Cullen returned to winning ways on the big stage with a clinical 2-0 win against James Wade, pinning six of his 11 darts at a finishing double to dump out the two-time champion.
Stephen Bunting produced the performance of Monday’s opening night, however, averaging 97, landing five 180s and converting 116 and 130 finishes in his straight-sets win over Niko Springer.
Bunting will now play Danny Noppert in round two, after the Dutch number two landed a 158 checkout to complete a terrific comeback against his fellow countryman. Jermaine Wattimena.
158 CHECKOUT TO WIN! 🤯
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts)
Danny Noppert wins a final-leg shootout with a SENSATIONAL finish! 🇳🇱🙌
Earlier in the night, Rob Cross edged out debutant Wessel Nijman in a dramatic start to this year’s tournament, surviving a match dart at the bull in the decider to complete a hard-fought victory.
Nijman outscored Cross for large periods of the contest, but the 2017/18 World Champion delivered on the outer ring, pinning eight of his 16 attempts at a finishing double to progress.
Cameron Menzies awaits Cross in round two, after the Scottish star registered his first victory on the World Grand Prix stage with an impressive straight-sets win against 2019 semi-finalist Chris Dobey.
Elsewhere, Krzysztof Ratajski raced through to round two with a dominant straight-sets win against German number one Martin Schindler.
Ratajski conceded a solitary leg to triumph with an impressive 95.94 average, although he now faces an ominous assignment against Humphries for a place in the quarter-finals.
Round One will conclude on Tuesday, as Mike De Decker opens his title defence against two-time World Champion Peter Wright.
Luke Littler and Gian van Veen will lock horns in a blockbuster clash, while Michael van Gerwen begins his bid for a seventh double-start crown against his fellow countryman Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Former champions Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and Daryl Gurney also enter the fray, as they take on Ryan Searle, Andrew Gilding and Ross Smith respectively.
2025 World Grand Prix Draw & Results
- (1) Luke Humphries 2-0 Nathan Aspinall
- (16) Martin Schindler 0-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
- (8) Chris Dobey 0-2 Cameron Menzies
- (9) Rob Cross 2-1 Wessel Nijman
- (4) Stephen Bunting 2-0 Niko Springer
- (13) Danny Noppert 2-1 Jermaine Wattimena
- (5) James Wade 0-2 Joe Cullen
- (12) Gary Anderson 2-1 Raymond van Barneveld
- (2) Luke Littler v Gian van Veen
- (15) Peter Wright v Mike De Decker
- (7) Gerwyn Price v Ryan Searle
- (10) Josh Rock v Ryan Joyce
- (3) Michael van Gerwen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
- (14) Ross Smith v Daryl Gurney
- (6) Jonny Clayton v Andrew Gilding
- (11) Damon Heta v Luke Woodhouse
2025 World Grand Prix Schedule
Monday October 6 (1800 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of 3 sets)
- Rob Cross 2-1 Wessel Nijman
- Martin Schindler 0-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Chris Dobey 0-2 Cameron Menzies
- James Wade 0-2 Joe Cullen
- Danny Noppert 2-1 Jermaine Wattimena
- Luke Humphries 2-0 Nathan Aspinall
- Gary Anderson 2-1 Raymond van Barneveld
- Stephen Bunting 2-0 Niko Springer
Tuesday October 7 (1800 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of 3 sets)
- Damon Heta v Luke Woodhouse
- Ross Smith v Daryl Gurney
- Jonny Clayton v Andrew Gilding
- Gerwyn Price v Ryan Searle
- Luke Littler v Gian van Veen
- Michael van Gerwen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Peter Wright v Mike De Decker
- Josh Rock v Ryan Joyce
Wednesday October 8 (1900 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Second Round matches (Best of 5 sets)
- Four matches
Thursday October 9 (1900 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Second Round matches (Best of 5 sets)
- Four matches
Friday October 10 (1900 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Quarter-Finals (Best of seven sets)
- Four matches
Saturday October 11 (2030 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Semi-Finals (Best of seven sets)
- Two matches
Sunday October 13 (2000 BST)
TV Channel: Sky Sports
Final (Best of nine sets)
- Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2
What TV channel is the World Grand Prix on?
The World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
World Grand Prix Prize Money
- Winner - £120,000
- Runner-up - £60,000
- Semi-finalists - £40,000
- Quarter-finalists - £25,000
- Second round - £15,000
- First round - £7,500
Tournament Format
- All Sets are the best of five legs. There will be no tie-break in any set.
- All legs must begin and end with a double, meaning that a player must hit a double before he can begin scoring in each leg.
- First Round - Best of three sets
- Second Round - Best of five sets
- Quarter-Finals - Best of five sets
- Semi-Finals - Best of seven sets
- Final - Best of nine sets
World Grand Prix History
- Final scores in sets
- 1998 - Phil Taylor 13-8 Rod Harrington
- 1999 - Phil Taylor 6-1 Shayne Burgess
- 2000 - Phil Taylor 6-1 Shayne Burgess
- 2001 - Alan Warriner 8-2 Roland Scholten
- 2002 - Phil Taylor 7-3 John Part
- 2003 - Phil Taylor 7-2 John Part
- 2004 - Colin Lloyd 7-3 Alan Warriner
- 2005 - Phil Taylor 7-1 Colin Lloyd
- 2006 - Phil Taylor 7-4 Terry Jenkins
- 2007 - James Wade 6-3 Terry Jenkins
- 2008 - Phil Taylor 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
- 2009 - Phil Taylor 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
- 2010 - James Wade 6-3 Adrian Lewis
- 2011 - Phil Taylor 6-3 Brendan Dolan
- 2012 - Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Mervyn King
- 2013 - Phil Taylor 6-0 Dave Chisnall
- 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 5-3 James Wade
- 2015 -
- 2016 -
- 2017 - Daryl Gurney 5-4 Simon Whitlock
- 2018 - Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Peter Wright
- 2019 - Michael van Gerwen 5-1 Dave Chisnall
- 2020 - Gerwyn Price 5-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- 2021 - Jonny Clayton 5-1 Gerwyn Price
- 2022 - Michael van Gerwen 5-3 Nathan Aspinall
- 2023 - Luke Humphries 5-2 Gerwyn Price
- 2024 - Mike de Decker 6-4 Luke Humphries
World Grand Prix Most Titles
- Phil Taylor - 11
- Michael van Gerwen - 6
- James Wade - 2
- Mike de Decker - 1
- Luke Humphries - 1
- Jonny Clayton - 1
- Gerwyn Price - 1
- Daryl Gurney - 1
- Colin Lloyd - 1
- Alan Warriner - 1
- Robert Thornton - 1
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