It was quarter final day on night five at the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, and Luke Littler’s quest for a first title at the unique event just about remained on course, as he came from two sets down and survived multiple match darts to defeat Gerwyn Price in a final-leg nail-biter in Leicester.
Littler had turned back the challenges of Gian van Veen and Mike De Decker without dropping a set at Mattioli Arena, while Price had battled past Ryan Searle in a final-set thriller in round one, before losing just one leg in a last 16 rout of Josh Rock.
Fireworks were promised, but the two combined for a classic of a different kind in a match packed full of drama.
Price went 2-0 ahead amidst a chorus of his customary screams and shouts, but the two combined to falter on both starting and finishing doubles as the scrappiness added to the drama.
Littler came back into the argument with a whitewash third set, but Price went 2-0 ahead in set four, and a leg away from victory with a 110 finish, but after Littler finished 154, Price missed four darts for victory, and Littler took full advantage to level and then take the set to restore parity at 2-2.
The two fought to the wire, as Littler saw a 2-0 lead in the final set evaporate as Price found a 156 checkout to take the match all the way, and the pair struggled to start the last leg, with Littler eventually taking out a barely-believeable 152 checkout to complete an unlikely comeback.
Elsewhere, World number one, and 2023 winner Luke Humphries continued his love affair with Leicester, as he clinched his third semi-final berth in as many years with a 3-1 win against Cameron Menzies.
‘Cool Hand’ blasted to the first set in a combined 43 darts, but Menzies didn’t buckle, winning set two in four legs to level, before opening the third set with a superb 160 finish. That was as good as it got though for the Scot, as Humphries went through the gears, eventually ending with a 91.5 average to advance to the final four.
Dirk van Duijvenbode had taken out two former World Grand Prix Champions already this week in Michael van Gerwen and Daryl Gurney, but couldn’t take the scalp of another, as Jonny Clayton fired off nine straight legs to take a buisness-like 3-0 win that earned him a crack at Littler on Saturday night.
Clayton bossed the first two sets for the loss of just the opening leg, with the Welshman finding 118 and 130 checkouts in the second set to take a stanglehold on the contest. A 112 was added for good measure in the third set, and the 2021 winner closed the show with a 90 finish to seal his semi-final place.
The show opener saw Gary Anderson’s hopes of adding this title to his collection ended, with Danny Noppert running out a strong 3-1 winner in their last eight clash.
Former UK Open winner Noppert was in control of the first set, but saw three set darts go astray, and after Anderson levelled, he then found a sublime 158 checkout on the bull to go a set ahead.
Noppert regrouped, and found a 60 finish to take set two, and a 156 from the Dutchman ignited his charrge in the third set, and he pounced on three starting double misses from the Scot in the final leg to move 2-1 ahead with a 78 kill.
Anderson forced a deciding leg in the fourth set with an 86 finish, but Noppert had all the answers, finding a 92 kill to advance to the penultimate day, where Humphries will lie in wait.
The semi-finals will take place on Saturday over a best of five sets.
2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix
Friday October 10
4x Quarter-Finals
Danny Noppert 3-1 Gary Anderson (2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-2)
Jonny Clayton 3-0 Dirk van Duijvenbode (3-1, 3-0, 3-0)
Luke Littler 3-2 Gerwyn Price (1-3, 0-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-2)
Luke Humphries 3-1 Cameron Menzies (3-0, 1-3, 3-1, 3-0)
Saturday October 11 (2000 BST)
Semi-Finals
Luke Humphries v Danny Noppert
Luke Littler v Jonny Clayton
Best of Nine Sets
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC / Simon O’Connor
