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Mike De Decker dumps Gary Anderson out of the World Grand Prix to reach Quarter-Finals

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Mike De Decker dispatches James Wade to reach World Grand Prix semi-finals as Joyce sees off Cross

Boylesports World Grand Prix 2024 | Quarter-Finals Preview and Order of Play

Jamie Shaw in World Grand Prix 11 Oct 2024

Humphries and Clayton go head-to-head (Photo by PDC)

The Boylesports World Grand Prix reaches the quarter-finals stage on Friday as the final eight face off in Leicester.

Despite a number of shock results in the early rounds, three previous winners of this title are among an intriguing Last Eight line-up at the Mattioli Arena, which also includes three players appearing at this stage of the competition for the first time.

Luke Humphries is bidding to become only the third player in the 26-year history of the tournament to successfully retain the title and has extended his unbeaten run in the double-start major to seven matches.

The world number one landed his first major title here 12 months ago, kick-starting an extraordinary spell of dominance which has also seen him clinch the Grand Slam, Players Championship Finals, World Championship and World Matchplay titles.

Humphries had to survive a huge scare in the opening round as he came from a set and two legs down to stun Stephen Bunting, before defeating Ricardo Pietreczko 3-1 in the Last 16.

He now features in a ninth consecutive televised ranking quarter-final – where 2021 World Grand Prix champion Jonny Clayton awaits.

Clayton, who claimed a Players Championship title in July and was runner-up in the Dutch Darts Championship, overcame debutant Ritchie Edhouse in straight sets before dispatching Ross Smith 3-1.

The Welshman famously defeated Humphries in an epic World Matchplay semi-final in 2023 and is looking to reach his first major semi-final since.

The opening match of the night sees two-time champion James Wade take on Belgian star Mike De Decker.

Wade has rolled back the years once again to progress to his first World Grand Prix quarter-final in a decade, dropping just one set in victories over Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price.

Wade enjoyed a superb run to the semi-finals of the World Matchplay this summer and victory here would ensure a swift return to the top 16 in what is his 20th year as a PDC professional.

De Decker, meanwhile, is appearing in his maiden major quarter-final following a 2-1 win over Damon Heta in which he survived a match dart and a contrastingly one-sided 3-0 rout of Gary Anderson.

The 28-year-old, who has picked up a Players Championship title this season, is now provisionally ranked inside the world’s top 32 for the first time.

Two players also featuring in their first World Grand Prix quarter-final go head-to-head as Rob Cross faces Ryan Joyce.

Former World Champion Cross had failed to make it beyond the Second Round in seven previous World Grand Prix appearances but has turned his double-start fortunes around with victories over Luke Littler and Martin Schindler.

Joyce, returning to this event for the first time since 2020, has defied the odds to see off top 16 stars Josh Rock and Nathan Aspinall, surviving three match darts in a sudden death epic in the Last 16.

The final match of the evening sees former Masters champion Joe Cullen take on reigning UK Open champion Dimitri van den Bergh.

Cullen is vying to reach the semi-finals here for the second successive year, having battled his way through last-set deciders against Chris Dobey and Daryl Gurney so far this week.

Van den Bergh is into the quarter-finals for the second time in three years following victories over Luke Woodhouse and Dave Chisnall, returning to form on the big stage after an indifferent spell of form on the ProTour.

The action gets under way from 7pm BST, with Quarter-Final matches to be contested over the best of five sets.

WATCH THE WORLD GRAND PRIX STREAMED LIVE HERE

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