WADE ENDS HUMPHRIES’ REIGN IN WOLVES, AS ANDERSON & LITTLER PROGRESS
James Wade ended Luke Humphries’ hopes of retaining the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts on Sunday, as Gary Anderson edged out his great rival Michael van Gerwen on another dramatic day in Wolverhampton.
Sunday’s double-session at WV Active Aldersley saw a further 16 group games take place, with Anderson and Luke Littler amongst the six players to confirm their place in the knockout stages.
However, world number one Humphries was a high-profile casualty in the West Midlands, as he succumbed to three-time runner-up James Wade in a crucial Group A encounter.
Reigning champion Humphries had lost out to Rowby-John Rodriguez in Saturday’s opening fixtures, and a second successive defeat means that the world number one now cannot progress to the knockout stages.
Humphries kicked off the contest with back-to-back 14-darters and landed a stunning 130 finish to lead 3-2, but a tenacious Wade recovered from a sluggish start to defeat the world number one.
“I’m just really happy to win,” reflected Wade, who was beaten by Humphries in the semi-finals of last year’s event.
“Luke is the best player in the world. He’s a shining hope for fans around the world, but that wasn’t quite the real Luke up there tonight.”
Anderson and Littler were among the stars to confirm their place in round two on Sunday, with Gian van Veen, Ritchie Edhouse, Jermaine Wattimena and Mickey Mansell also sealing their progress.
Anderson made it two wins from two in Group G with a deciding-leg victory against Van Gerwen, averaging 105.19 and landing five 180s to edge out the three-time Grand Slam champion.
“It wasn’t quite as good as last night,” joked the Scot, who averaged 113.2 against Ryan Joyce on Saturday.
“There were a few loose darts and missed doubles, but I stuck in there, kept calm and nicked it!”
Grand Slam debutant Littler maintained his scintillating form with a commanding 5-1 win over Dimitri Van den Bergh in Group F, following up his 112 average on Saturday with a 107 average against the Belgian.
“I played very well once again which I’m happy with,” claimed the teenage sensation, who has conceded just one leg in his first two matches.
“I knew if I won I would be through so it was all about the win tonight. Of course I want to top the group, but I can relax a bit now, and my belief is growing.”
Van Veen produced the third-highest average in Grand Slam history to book his place in the knockout stages, averaging 114.71 to dispatch Stephen Bunting 5-1.
The Dutchman agonisingly missed double 18 for a nine-darter in leg two of the contest, before later producing a magnificent double-double 133 checkout on his way to victory.
Bunting’s solitary leg came courtesy of a spectacular 170 checkout, but the Masters champion now faces a straight shoot-out for qualification with Josh Rock on Tuesday evening.
“I am so happy with this performance,” reflected Van Veen, who also averaged 110.39 in his Group G opener against Rock.
“I didn’t think I could top my performance on Saturday, but thankfully I did, and to get through the ‘group of death’ with a game to go is a massive confidence boost for myself.”
In Sunday afternoon’s other Group H tussle, Rock won four straight legs from 3-1 down to end Wessel Nijman’s hopes of qualification, as the Dutchman suffered back-to-back defeats despite producing another 105+ average.
Newly-crowned European Champion Ritchie Edhouse was the first player to confirm a place in the knockout stages, following his 5-2 success against Connor Scutt in Group D.
Scutt now faces a straight shoot-out for qualification with former European Champion Smith, who defeated 2014 runner-up Dave Chisnall by the same scoreline to end the fifth seed’s qualification hopes.
Jermaine Wattimena continued his resurgence with a thumping 5-1 victory over 2022 Grand Slam champion Michael Smith, as the European Championship runner-up safely sealed his passage to the last 16.
Smith will now go head-to-head with Mike De Decker for a place in the last 16 on Tuesday, as the World Grand Prix champion preserved his hopes with a 5-2 victory over Mensur Suljovic.
Elsewhere, Mansell will feature in the last 16 of a televised ranking event for the first time after maintaining his 100% record in Group A, courtesy of his 5-3 win against Rowby-John Rodriguez.
Sunday also saw former finalists Rob Cross and Peter Wright suffer defeat in Group C at the hands of Martin Lukeman and Leonard Gates respectively.
Lukeman won five straight legs from 3-0 down to stun 2023 runner-up Cross and establish top spot in Group C, while Gates denied three-time finalist Wright in a gruelling affair to open his account.
Danny Noppert established control of Group B with a narrow 5-4 victory against Cameron Menzies, following up five 180s and a 170 checkout with a superb 11-darter in the decider.
Noppert will play Martin Schindler in his final group stage game on Monday, after the German number one claimed his first points with a 5-1 win over Women’s World Matchplay champion Beau Greaves.
In Sunday’s other ties, Ryan Joyce won five of the last six legs to defeat Noa-Lynn van Leuven 5-3, which sets up a winner-takes-all showdown against Van Gerwen on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, in Group G, Keane Barry denied PDC Asian Champion Lourence Ilagan by the same scoreline, conjuring up a magical 158 finish to set up a pivotal tussle against Van den Bergh.
Groups A-D will conclude on Monday evening, before players from Groups E-H continue their battle for qualification on Tuesday.
The top two players from each group will progress to the knockout stage, with the last 16 action set to get underway on Wednesday November 13.
The 2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts will be 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 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts
Sunday November 10
Afternoon Session
Groups B-C-D-H Second Matches
Danny Noppert 5-4 Cameron Menzies (B)
Martin Schindler 5-1 Beau Greaves (B)
Leonard Gates 5-4 Peter Wright (C)
Martin Lukeman 5-3 Rob Cross (C)
Ross Smith 5-2 Dave Chisnall (D)
Ritchie Edhouse 5-2 Connor Scutt (D)
Josh Rock 5-3 Wessel Nijman (H)
Gian van Veen 5-1 Stephen Bunting (H)
Evening Session
Groups A-E-F-G Second Matches
Keane Barry 5-3 Lourence Ilagan (F)
Ryan Joyce 5-3 Noa-Lynn van Leuven (G)
Mickey Mansell 5-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez (A)
Mike De Decker 5-2 Mensur Suljovic (E)
James Wade 5-3 Luke Humphries (A)
Jermaine Wattimena 5-1 Michael Smith (E)
Gary Anderson 5-4 Michael van Gerwen (G)
Luke Littler 5-1 Dimitri Van den Bergh (F)
Monday November 11 (1900 GMT)
Groups A-D Final Matches
Luke Humphries v Mickey Mansell (A)
Dave Chisnall v Ritchie Edhouse (D)
Cameron Menzies v Beau Greaves (B)
Danny Noppert v Martin Schindler (B)
James Wade v Rowby-John Rodriguez (A)
Martin Lukeman v Leonard Gates (C)
Rob Cross v Peter Wright (C)
Ross Smith v Connor Scutt (D)
Tuesday November 12 (1900 GMT)
Groups E-H Final Matches (Order of Games TBC)
Jermaine Wattimena v Mensur Suljovic (E)
Michael Smith v Mike De Decker (E)
Luke Littler v Lourence Ilagan (F)
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Keane Barry (F)
Gary Anderson v Noa-Lynn van Leuven (G)
Michael van Gerwen v Ryan Joyce (G)
Gian van Veen v Wessel Nijman (H)
Stephen Bunting v Josh Rock (H)
——ENDS—–
Images: Kieran Cleeves/PDC
