What Happened
Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has suffered a major upset at the World Grand Prix in Leicester, crashing out in the first round after a shock defeat to Luke Woodhouse.
The 19-year-old was hoping to bounce back quickly following his recent quarter-final exit at the World Series of Darts Finals. Despite claiming the opening set, Littler struggled to find his rhythm throughout the best-of-three match—which utilizes the challenging 'double in, double out' format—finishing with an uncharacteristic 82.41 average.
Woodhouse capitalized on the reigning champion's struggles, leveling the match before sealing the deciding set 3-1 in legs with a crucial 75 checkout.
Why It Matters
The early exit marks a surprising stumble for one of the sport's biggest modern stars, shaking up the tournament bracket entirely. With Littler out of contention, the path to the latter stages of the prestigious tournament opens up significantly for remaining contenders.
Woodhouse now advances to the last 16, where he is set to face 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall.
Refusing to dwell on the upset, Littler took to social media shortly after the match to gracefully acknowledge his opponent. He posted on Instagram: "Well played Luke Woodhouse, was a good game and a good one to be a part of as well. Nice week off now. All the best to Luke for the rest of the tournament."
Wider Tournament Shakes
Littler's exit wasn't the only major talking point on a dramatic night of action in Leicester.
Six-time champion Michael van Gerwen also made an unexpected early exit. Van Gerwen dropped five out of the final six legs as Ryan Joyce mounted an impressive comeback to secure a 2-1 victory. Joyce now moves on to face Dutchman Danny Noppert.
Meanwhile, Gerwyn Price delivered a dominant performance, surrendering just a single leg against Poland's Sebastian Bialecki to book his spot in the next round.
