Daryl Gurney Shocks Michael van Gerwen in World Grand Prix First Round

Michael van Gerwen‘s quest for a seventh World Grand Prix title ended abruptly when he was knocked out in the first round by Daryl Gurney in Leicester. The Dutch star experienced a frustrating outing, failing to clinch a single leg in a match where “SuperChin” Gurney dominated with a 2-0 victory. Van Gerwen’s surprising miss of three darts at double three during what proved to be the final leg drew perplexed reactions from the audience, and Sky Sports Darts commentator Wayne Mardle expressed bewilderment over Van Gerwen’s board management, particularly with the choice to aim for the difficult double at the bottom of the board after scoring 180.

The event at Mattioli Arena witnessed a string of surprises, as world number two Michael Smith also made an early exit. Smith was eliminated by Gary Anderson in a thrilling match that saw Anderson overturn an initial set deficit to win 2-1. Anderson had previously been defeated by Smith in their World Matchplay encounter but managed to claim revenge, tying the match before eventually prevailing in the decider.

Meanwhile, Daryl Gurney, reflecting on his success, remained humble and reiterated his focus on progressing further in the tournament. “There’s not many players that will beat Michael van Gerwen 6-0 but I won’t get carried away,” stated Gurney. He acknowledged his recent performances against top players, such as Dave Chisnall and Nathan Aspinall, as providing a confidence boost.

The unexpected outcomes on Tuesday continued with James Wade‘s comeback victory over Peter Wright. After losing the first set, Wade managed to regain control and secured a win to advance further. “I’m genuinely enjoying the game again,” Wade remarked, expressing satisfaction with his current form.

Wales’ Gerwyn Price staged a comeback of his own against Danny Noppert. Price, despite being on the verge of defeat after losing five consecutive legs, managed to regain composure and win the final three legs. In other notable matches, Dimitri Van den Bergh triumphed over Luke Woodhouse and Mike De Decker celebrated a victory against Damon Heta.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Dave Chisnall achieved a straightforward victory over Cameron Menzies, and Joe Cullen overcame Chris Dobey after initially losing the first set. These results mean both Van Gerwen and Smith, considered strong contenders, have joined Luke Littler in making unexpected early exits from the competition.