Luke Woodhouse stuns Luke Littler in World Grand Prix opener

Luke Woodhouse dumped out defending champion Luke Littler on the opening night of the 2026 World Grand Prix in Leicester on Monday.

Woodhouse recovered from a set down to stun Littler at the Mattioli Arena, subjecting the world number one to his earliest exit in a televised ranking event for two years.

Despite claiming a scrappy opening set, Littler was unable to raise his level, 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 finish.

“I’m a bit all over the shop at the moment,” reflected Woodhouse, who has won two ranking titles in a breakthrough season.

“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 dream of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of major titles was ended in Amsterdam last weekend, and Woodhouse added further gloom by ending the World Champion’s 36-match winning run in televised ranking competition.

Michael van Gerwen was another high-profile casualty on Day One of the 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 Leicester.

Gerwyn Price and Ross Smith will also renew their rivalry in a repeat of their clash in the final of last weekend’s World Series Finals.

Price produced the performance of the opening night, averaging 101.6 in his straight-sets demolition of Polish 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,” admitted Price.

“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 99.5 average.

Meanwhile, 2022 runner-up Nathan 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 per cent of his attempts at a starting double.

Clayton will now face Wessel Nijman in the Last 16, after the Dutch star overcame a struggling Rob Cross in straight-sets, avenging his defeat to the former World Champion 12 months ago.

Cross, who was punished for a woeful display of finishing, has now suffered six first round exits in ten appearances at the World Grand Prix.

World Grand Prix 2026 Day One Results

Monday September 28

First Round

Danny Noppert 2-1 Niko Springer
Ross Smith 2-1 Cameron Menzies
Nathan Aspinall 2-1 Kevin Doets
Jonny Clayton 2-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Gerwyn Price 2-0 Sebastian Bialecki
Michael van Gerwen 1-2 Ryan Joyce
Luke Littler 1-2 Luke Woodhouse
Wessel Nijman 2-0 Rob Cross