In a stunning turn of events at the Grand Slam of Darts, reigning champion Luke Humphries faced an unexpected defeat at the hands of Rowby-John Rodriguez in Group A. Meanwhile, in Group F, Luke Littler made an explosive entry into the tournament, annihilating Keane Barry 5-0 in a debut performance that lasted merely six minutes.
Humphries, currently ranked World No. 1, struggled to find his rhythm against Rodriguez. The underdog shocked the crowd with a spectacular 141 checkout, securing a monumental upset. Although Humphries found some form with heavy scoring, Rodriguez maintained his composure and consistently landed trebles under pressure, finishing off with a stylish T20, T19, D12 combination that celebrated his triumph over the World Champion.
Conversely, Littler was in impeccable form, starting his match with a breathtaking 121 checkout on the bullseye that sent the audience into a frenzy. He averaged over 112 during the match, achieving his first opening-round success in a ranking event since the UK Open last March, all wrapped up in a mere six minutes.
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“I wanted to make a statement. I’m here to win,” Littler stated in a post-match interview with Sky Sports. “Participating in this is akin to the Champions League group stage. Leading up to tonight, I’ve had solid practice sessions and was really enjoying myself. Stepping onto the stage and hearing the crowd sing my walk-on song really energised me. I’m pleased with the win. I aim to top my group; everyone aspires to do the same. There’s a bit of a bonus for finishing first, so I focus on advancing past the group stage and then shifting my sights on the first to ten legs in the knockout phase. Hopefully, I can proceed further from there.”
In another notable incident from the night, in Group G, Michael van Gerwen effortlessly secured a 5-0 victory against Noa-Lynn van Leuvenplacing him at the top of the group. Van Leuven made history by being the first transgender player to compete in a televised PDC tournament against men. After a shaky start with a first leg break of throw, MVG hit his stride, captivating the audience as he eased to victory. Van Leuven faced some initial booing on her debut, all while the crowd chanted, “Oh Michael van Gerwen.”
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