Daryl Gurney whitewashed six-time champion Michael van Gerwen to move through to round two at the BoyleSports World Grand Prix on Tuesday, as Michael Smith and Peter Wright also crashed out in Leicester.
Day Two of the sport’s double-start showpiece saw the first round draw to a close at the Mattioli Arena, as 2017 champion Gurney dispatched Van Gerwen in six straight legs.
The Dutch icon was blown away by the clinical Northern Irishman, who converted six of his nine attempts at a finishing double to set up a last 16 clash against Joe Cullen.
“There’s not many players that will beat Michael van Gerwen 6-0, but I won’t get carried away,” declared Gurney – one of five former winners left in the tournament.
“I’m playing well and I have been for the last couple of months.
“I have been beating players on the stage that I haven’t beaten for a couple of years – Dave Chisnall, Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price and now Michael, so that gives me a bit more belief.”
Gurney’s reward is a second round showdown against 2023 semi-finalist Cullen, who marked his return to Leicester with a terrific comeback win against an in-form Chris Dobey.
Dobey drew first blood with a magnificent 160 checkout, although Cullen came roaring back in the closing stages, winning the last five legs without reply and wrapping up proceedings with a 110 kill.
World number two Smith also bowed out at the first hurdle in the East Midlands, after squandering two match darts in a dramatic last-leg shoot-out against 2016 runner-up Gary Anderson.
Smith brushed Anderson aside in their opening round clash at July’s World Matchplay, but the Scottish icon made amends, despite relinquishing the opening set.
“I’ve probably played better this year than I have at any point in the last decade,” insisted Anderson, who has a higher seasonal average than any other player on the PDC ProTour.
“Even when I won the World Championship, I probably wasn’t as good as I have been this year.
“Everything I look at I’m hitting, and it’s going well, but I’m under no pressure whatsoever.”
Former champions James Wade and Gerwyn Price joined Anderson in advancing to the last 16, after coming through deciding-set ties against Peter Wright and Danny Noppert earlier in the night.
Two-time winner Wade fought back from a set down to defeat 2018 runner-up Wright, winning six of the last seven legs to make a winning start on his 20th consecutive World Grand Prix appearance.
“I’m genuinely enjoying the game again,” reflected Wade, who lifted the double-start crown in 2007 and 2010.
“I am very happy to get through there. I felt it shouldn’t have gone to a third set, but fair play to Peter, he’s one of the greatest dart players that has ever walked the planet.”
Price came through a gruelling encounter against 2021 semi-finalist Noppert to begin his bid for a second double-start success, reeling off three straight legs to triumph in a dramatic decisive set.
The Welshman won five of the opening six legs to move to the brink of victory, and although Noppert replied with 126 and 84 finishes on the bull to level, Price battled back from the brink to prevail.
Elsewhere, Dimitri Van den Bergh won through a high-quality encounter against Luke Woodhouse to return to winning ways on the big stage, averaging 97 and landing five 180s in the process.
Following a blistering start from Woodhouse, Van den Bergh averaged 104 in set two to restore parity, before kicking off the deciding set with a fabulous 132 checkout on his way to victory.
The Belgian will now play sixth seed Dave Chisnall for a place in the quarter-finals, after the two-time runner-up completed a six-leg whitewash of Cameron Menzies in the evening’s opener.
Van den Bergh’s compatriot Mike De Decker also celebrated first round success on Tuesday evening, condemning Damon Heta to a fourth consecutive opening round exit at the World Grand Prix.
De Decker – who pinned 14 of his 18 attempts at a starting double – produced 150 and 116 finishes to snatch the opening set, before surviving a match dart at double eight in a dramatic final stanza.
The second round of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix will get underway on Wednesday evening, as reigning champion Luke Humphries continues his title defence against Ricardo Pietreczko.
2021 champion Jonny Clayton takes on Monday’s stand-out performer Ross Smith, fourth seed Rob Cross plays Martin Schindler, while 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall faces Ryan Joyce.
The tournament is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
2024 BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Tuesday October 8
8x First Round matches
Dave Chisnall 2-0 Cameron Menzies (3-0, 3-0)
Dimitri Van den Bergh 2-1 Luke Woodhouse (1-3, 3-1, 3-1)
Mike De Decker 2-1 Damon Heta (3-2, 1-3, 3-1)
James Wade 2-1 Peter Wright (2-3, 3-1, 3-0)
Gerwyn Price 2-1 Danny Noppert (3-1, 2-3, 3-2)
Gary Anderson 2-1 Michael Smith (1-3, 3-1, 3-2)
Daryl Gurney 2-0 Michael van Gerwen (3-0, 3-0)
Joe Cullen 2-1 Chris Dobey (1-3, 3-1, 3-0)
Wednesday October 9 (1900 BST)
4x Second Round matches
Nathan Aspinall v Ryan Joyce
Rob Cross v Martin Schindler
Luke Humphries v Ricardo Pietreczko
Jonny Clayton v Ross Smith
Best of Five Sets
——ENDS—–
Images: Kieran Cleeves/PDC
