Michael van Gerwen secured a tense victory over Beau Greaves during the opening day of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton. The reigning champion, Luke Littler, also began his title defense successfully.
Thrilling Encounters in Wolverhampton
In a gripping match, Van Gerwen initially appeared to dominate with a 4-2 lead. However, Greaves, at just 21 years old, made a stunning comeback, leveling the match after stringing together two consecutive legs.
The Doncaster player had a chance to clinch victory but missed three darts aimed at finishing 52. Van Gerwen ultimately sealed the match, showcasing his experience in critical moments.
Littler’s Successful Start
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Luke Littler maintained his perfect record at the tournament, gaining a solid 5-1 win against Karel Sedlacek. Despite winning, Littler expressed frustration at dropping a single leg, as he was eager to achieve a whitewash.
“I was obviously looking for the whitewash,” Littler remarked. “I just thought to myself, when I lost the bull, you’ve got to get off to a quick start.”
Group Standings and Match Highlights
Littler aims to overtake Luke Humphries for the top position in the rankings by the end of the year. However, Humphries made a strong start as he defeated Alex Spellman 5-0, solidifying his place at the top of Group A.
Other notable results from the opening day included:
- Michael Smith defeated Nathan Aspinall 5-3.
- Rickey Evans triumphed over Gerwyn Price.
- Wessel Nijman overcame Josh Rock.
- Stefan Bellmont secured a win against James Wade.
All 32 players participated on this exciting first day of the round-robin group stage, with matches divided into two sessions.
