Littler wins World Grand Prix thriller but Van Gerwen out

Six-time champion Michael van Gerwen was beaten by a chap Dutchman successful nan first information of nan World Grand Prix, but Luke Littler came done a high-quality opener.

Van Gerwen won a top-level tourney for nan first clip successful 2 years by beating Littler successful nan World Series Finals successful September, but connected Tuesday he produced an error-strewn capacity to suffer 2-0 against Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Although world number 3 Van Gerwen threw a stunning 171 successful nan first leg, he different struggled and suffered first-round elimination for nan 2nd twelvemonth running.

Littler, however, stormed into nan 2nd information successful Leicester pinch an 11-minute straight-set triumph against different Dutchman, Gian van Veen.

Both players averaged complete 100 successful a superb first group arsenic Littler came from down to return it 3-2.

Despite Van Veen finishing pinch a 106.47 mean - nan highest mean successful tourney history - and Littler 105.58, it was nan Briton who won done to proceed his quest for a first World Grand Prix title.

"I americium very happy. I don't deliberation I could person done a batch amended there. I surely played amended than past year," Littler told Sky Sports.

"I said I would beryllium fiery successful my pre-match question and reply and I showed a spot of that. Hopefully this is my adjacent major."

Gerwyn Price defeated Ryan Searle 2-1, earlier Peter Wright mislaid to defending champion Mike de Decker by nan aforesaid scoreline.

Tuesday's World Grand Prix results:

Dirk van Duijvenbode 2-0 Michael van Gerwen

Luke Woodhouse 2-1 Damon Heta

Daryl Gurney 2-0 Ross Smith

Jonny Clayton 2-0 Andrew Gilding

Gerwyn Price 2-1 Ryan Searle

Luke Littler 2-0 Gian van Veen

Mike de Decker 2-1 Peter Wright

Josh Rock 2-1 Ryan Joyce

Wednesday's matches:

Cameron Menzies v Rob Cross

Stephen Bunting v Danny Noppert

Luke Humphries v Krzysztof Ratajski

Joe Cullen v Gary Anderson