Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen out in World Grand Prix first round

Luke Littler has mislaid to Luke Woodhouse connected the opening nighttime of the World Grand Prix.

The satellite fig 1 had appeared connected people to widen his winning streak successful 2026 televised ranking events arsenic helium took the opening set.

Woodhouse looked overawed by the juncture arsenic helium struggled towards the extremity of that set, yet helium would instrumentality six of the adjacent 9 legs to seal arguably the champion triumph of his career.

Littler ended with an mean of conscionable 82.41 successful the double-start format, portion helium deed conscionable 5 100+ scores successful the last acceptable arsenic Woodhouse dominated the decision of the contest.

With Littler connected 108, 37-year-old Woodhouse took retired 75 successful 2 darts to unafraid a 2-1 triumph to acceptable up a last-16 showdown with Nathan Aspinall.

Van Gerwen joins Littler successful World Grand Prix exit

In the erstwhile match, Michael van Gerwen besides succumbed to a 2-1 decision to Ryan Joyce.

The Dutchman, present down astatine satellite fig nine, defied immoderate crisp finishing from his hostile to instrumentality the opener.

However, Van Gerwen missed 17 darts astatine a treble crossed the adjacent 2 sets, Joyce squandering conscionable 3 darts astatine the outer ringing during the aforesaid period.

While Van Gerwen, a six-time champion of this event, impressively averaged successful excess of 90 crossed 4 legs successful the decider, Joyce's consistency won retired to acceptable up a second-round gathering with Danny Noppert.

Van Gerwen is present astatine hazard of dropping extracurricular of the world's apical 10 for the archetypal clip since 2012.