Luke Littler's defence of his World Grand Prix title concluded on the opening night in Leicester, as he was defeated 2-1 by Luke Woodhouse. The 19-year-old, aiming to recover from a quarter-final exit in the World Series of Darts a week prior, lost a strong position in the last 32 match.
Woodhouse, 37, surged in the final set of the double-in, double-out competition, taking a 2-0 lead before fending off a Littler comeback. This marked a significant upset and the biggest win of Woodhouse's career.
Elsewhere, Michael van Gerwen's pursuit of a seventh World Grand Prix crown also ended early. He lost 2-1 to Ryan Joyce after relinquishing a one-set lead. Meanwhile, Wales' Gerwyn Price began his campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Polish debutant Sebastian Bialecki, achieving an average of 101.61 and hitting three 180s.