World No. 1 Luke Humphries continued his defense of his World Grand Prix title with a 3-1 win over Germany’s Riccardo Pietrecko in the second round on Wednesday.
In a repeat of his thrilling World Championship performance late last year, Humphries showed his class in a brief spell to beat Pietreczko and assert himself as the tournament favorite following Luke Littler’s first-round exit.
Humphries, 29, will play Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals on Friday after the Welshman beat Ross Smith 3-1.
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A marriage proposal was made at the World Grand Prix during a match between Johnny Clayton and Ross Smith!
“Ricardo played a fantastic darts game,” said Humphreys, who averaged 92 and hit 180 three times to advance to the quarterfinals.
“If he had played with someone else tonight, he might have won the game, but I ended up just managing to get through it.
“The six darts at the end of the third set were decisive. It could have been a lot different, but 180 followed by 130 won that game for me.”
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Humphries won a crucial third set in his World Grand Prix clash with Pietreczko with a spectacular checkout of 130.
Humphries dominated the first set, winning all three legs, but Pietreczko stepped up and leveled the match by breaking his opponent at the end of the second set.
Pietreczko missed a dart at D20 to bring Humphries down in the top of the third, and the world champion punished him with a big 112 checkout (20, T20, D16) to keep the throw alive.
A brilliant 130 checkout (T20, T20, D5) gave Humphries a decisive break to win his third and he put his foot on the gas to win the fourth set and finish with a bullseye.
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Humphries took a 112-point lead in the third set, a key moment in the match.
Aspinall loses Thriller to Joyce.
Nathan Aspinall lost a thrilling opener to Ryan Joyce 3-2 on penalties.
Remarkably, the opening ten legs were thrown and both teams went on to win a set each before Joyce got the first break at the start of the third.
Joyce was on the verge of victory in the fourth set, needing a 114 checkout in the deciding stretch of the set. He tied for 18th, but missed out on a top 20 singles finish that would have put him at the top.
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Aspinall was the first to break a throw from Joyce to force a decisive fifth set.
Aspinall punished him with a superb 89 (T19, D16) to send the match to the final set.
Leading 2-1 in the final set, ‘The Asp’ missed two match darts, which Joyce took advantage of and needed a final leg.
Joyce initially missed two match darts at D6, but Aspinall could not find D18 to win the match and at the third time of asking, Joyce got D6 to knock out last year’s World Match Play champion.
“I thought I held myself really well in the final set,” said Joyce, who provisionally entered the world’s top 32 for the first time.
“Nathan put so much pressure on me, but I’m really happy I was able to get through it. This is a tournament I really like and I’m 100% confident I can win this title.
“I have prepared well for this tournament. I am a dangerous opponent and I will give my best!”
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Joyce won an epic contest against Aspinall, who missed three match darts!
Kroos advances to the quarterfinals for the first time in history
Former world champion Rob Cross has reached the last eight of the World Grand Prix for the first time after beating Martin Schindler 3-1.
Kroos took the first set, but Schindler surprisingly won his fifth straight match, but it was Kross who won the decisive leg in the third set.
Schindler hasn’t found his best darts since, as Cross won the fourth set and sets up to face Joyce in the quarter-finals on Friday.
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Kroos shot this great 105 en route to defeating Schindler…
Cross said, “I went through a lot of trials and tribulations in this tournament, but it feels really good to advance to the quarterfinals.”
“I started to feel more comfortable this year. That has improved and things are going in the right direction.
“Now I’m looking forward to Friday. Ryan is a really strong finisher. He reminds me a little of myself. I need to improve, but I’ll give it my all.”
Clayton looks at Smith
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Ross Smith had these two huge checkouts in a loss to Clayton.
2021 champion Jonny Clayton defeated Ross Smith in the evening’s finale, despite ‘Smudger’ getting off to a blistering start against the Welshman, with scores of 149 and 145 in the opening exchanges. Checkout has been recorded.
However, ‘The Ferret’ bounced back into the competition and won three straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the televised rankings for the first time since July 2023.
What’s happening at the World Grand Prix on Thursday?
Gurney defeated Van Gerwen in the first round of the World Grand Prix.
Daryl Gurney, who defeated six-time champion Michael van Gerwen, returns to action in a second-round clash with 2023 semi-finalist Joe Cullen. Joe Cullen returned to action for Leicester with a stunning comeback against the point-blank Chris Dobey.
2016 runner-up Gary Anderson has the highest season average of any other player in the PDC ProTour and takes on Dutchman Mike De Decker, with ‘The Flying Scotsman’ the most talented player on the circuit.
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Van Gerwen failed to get a leg up in his first round loss to Gurney and Wayne Mardle was left befuddled by the Dutchman’s board management.
Gerwin Price continues his quest for a second double start when he takes on two-time winner James Wade, while two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall takes on Belgian Dimitri Van den Berg. den Bergh).
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