Boylesports World Grand Prix 2023 | Day Four Preview and Order of Play
Round Two draws to a close at the 2023 Boylesports World Grand Prix in Leicester on Thursday as a host of big names look to remain in contention for double-start glory.
World Champion Michael Smith and former World Grand Prix champion Gerwyn Price safely progressed to the Quarter-Finals on Wednesday night, while Andrew Gilding and Martin Schindler broke new ground.
Five televised title winners are among a star-studded line-up on Day Four at the Morningside Arena as the double-in drama continues.
Reigning and six-time champion Michael van Gerwen resumes the defence of his title with a clash against Chris Dobey.
Van Gerwen has twice defeated Dobey en route to claiming this crown, whitewashing the Tynesider 4-0 in the 2019 Semi-Finals and prevailing in last year’s Quarter-Finals.
The Dutchman swept aside a struggling Josh Rock in straight sets in Round One, averaging 95.7, and is bidding to add this title to his Premier League, World Series Finals, US Masters and Poland Masters silverware this season.
Masters champion Dobey also opened up with an impressive 2-0 win on Tuesday, dispatching Dimitri van den Bergh, and is vying to reach the Quarter-Finals of this event for the third time in four appearances.
World number six Luke Humphries continues his pursuit of a maiden major title with a tie against debutant Luke Woodhouse.
Humphries headed to Leicester in a blistering run of form, having reached a sixth Euro Tour final of the year in Hungary, before again losing out to Dave Chisnall in the final of a ProTour event last week.
The former UK Open finalist is making his third consecutive appearance in this double-in event and is looking to surpass the Second Round stage for the first time, having seen off 2017 champion Daryl Gurney 2-0 in his opener.
Woodhouse, who held down the 16th and final ProTour qualification spot to secure a maiden Grand Prix appearance, enjoyed a dream debut by defeating in-form Chisnall 2-0 with a 96 average, and ‘Woody’ will be keen to replicate that display against another of this season’s stand-out performers.
Two-time World Champion Peter Wright aims to avenge his defeat to Ryan Searle in the recent World Matchplay when the pair collide again.
Searle prevailed 11-8 in their Second Round encounter in Blackpool and is hoping to make it back-to-back major Quarter-Finals after overcoming Damon Heta 2-1 in his opener.
Wright, who finished runner-up in the 2018 World Grand Prix and was a semi-finalist here 12 months ago, safely saw off German number one Gabriel Clemens in successive sets on Tuesday.
The colourful Scot has claimed the Nordic Masters and Czech Open titles this season but endured a torrid Premier League campaign which saw him finish bottom of the table.
The final match of the evening sees reigning European Champion Ross Smith take on former Masters champion Joe Cullen.
Smith defeated 2021 champion Jonny Clayton to reach the Second Round here for the third consecutive year, and has claimed a ProTour title this term as well as reaching the Semi-Finals of the European Darts Grand Prix.
Cullen enjoyed a superb run to the Semi-Finals of the World Matchplay in Blackpool and has also reached two Euro Tour Semi-Finals this year, with his best run in this event coming behind closed doors in 2020 when he made the Last Eight.
The world number 12 brushed aside Belgian debutant Mike De Decker in consecutive sets in Round One.
The action gets under way from 7pm BST, with Second Round matches to be contested over the best of five sets.
All sets are the best of five legs and 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 they can begin scoring in each leg.
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Boylesports World Grand Prix 2023 Day Four Schedule
Thursday October 5
Second Round
7pm-11pm
Luke Humphries v Luke Woodhouse
Peter Wright v Ryan Searle
Michal van Gerwen v Chris Dobey
Ross Smith v Joe Cullen
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