Former champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton will go head-to-head in a blockbuster quarter-final clash at the World Grand Prix, after producing impressive displays in Leicester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following his blistering opening round display against Sebastian Bialecki, Price continued his charge with another straight-sets success against Ross Smith at the Mattioli Arena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smith toppled Price to lift the World Series of Darts Finals title last weekend, but the Welshman gained immediate revenge to set up a showdown against his fellow countryman Clayton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price powered in a 13-dart hold to claim a hard-fought opening set, before winning six of the next eight legs to cap off a dominant display in the East Midlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a brilliant game, but a win\u2019s a win and I\u2019m still in the tournament,\u201d declared the 2020 champion, who is yet to drop a set in this year\u2019s event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI probably put a little bit too much pressure on myself because of last week [against Smith].<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got Jonny now. He\u2019s a great friend of mine, but I think I\u2019ve got a good record against him!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI remember years ago in the final of this tournament he absolutely smashed me, but I know he\u2019s chasing a Grand Slam spot, so the pressure is on him!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2021 champion Clayton converted four ton-plus checkouts during his 3-1 victory against Wessel Nijman, averaging 93 and landing eight 180s to cap off a terrific all-round display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 51-year-old made an electrifying start to the contest, following up 112 and 116 checkouts with a show-stopping 125 finish culminating on the bull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nijman responded valiantly to restore parity at one set apiece, but Clayton maintained his ruthless precision on the outer ring to reach the quarter-finals for a third consecutive year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt felt good up there,\u201d admitted Clayton, who will become the new Welsh number one if he lifts his second World Grand Prix crown on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWessel is a great dart player. He\u2019s got a massive future ahead of him, but he gave me chances which I took.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not happy to be Welsh number two. I\u2019m world number five, but I want to be world number four and Welsh number one. It\u2019s good competition!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nathan Aspinall and Ryan Joyce will also lock horns for a place in the semi-finals, after the pair registered straight-set victories against Luke Woodhouse and Danny Noppert respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aspinall will feature in the last eight for the first time since finishing runner-up in 2022, after overcoming Luke Littler\u2019s conqueror Woodhouse in emphatic fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Stockport star averaged north of 96 to seal his progress, while also producing 104 and 106 checkouts to win each of the last two sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m dead happy with that performance,\u201d reflected Aspinall, who survived match darts in his opening round tie against Kevin Doets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTonight, I wanted to start how I finished [in round one] and my doubling in was a hell of a lot better tonight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0\u201cI know I can score as well as anybody in the world of darts, and that\u2019s what I practice on. Tonight it was up there with some of the best I\u2019ve done on this stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs long as I can handle the pressure, which I think I\u2019ve shown already in these two games in the big moments\u2026 I\u2019m going to be really tough to beat this week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joyce, meanwhile, ran out a comprehensive 3-0 winner against two-time semi-finalist Noppert in the evening\u2019s opener, having dumped out six-time champion Michael van Gerwen on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2024 semi-finalist was relentless in the doubling department, converting 69% of his attempts on the outer ring to continue his impressive record in the sport\u2019s double-start showpiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m always confident here, and I\u2019m confident that I can challenge,\u201d declared the 41-year-old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy finishing was really good, but my scoring wasn\u2019t there today for some reason, so I\u2019m going to try and work on it before the next game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m just pleased to get through, but I\u2019ll probably have to up my game to have any chance of winning this tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Round two will reach its conclusion tonight as 2023 champion Luke Humphries and two-time winner James Wade take on Jermaine Wattimena and Stephen Bunting respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elsewhere, Dutch number one Gian van Veen plays Ryan Searle, while Scottish icon Gary Anderson faces debutant Niels Zonneveld in the evening\u2019s opener. Ryan Joyce 3-0 Danny Noppert (3-1, 3-1, 3-1) Former champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton will go head-to-head in a blockbuster quarter-final clash at the World<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-16138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","tag-darts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
Results Round Two<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jonny Clayton 3-1 Wessel Nijman (3-0, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1)
Gerwyn Price 3-0 Ross Smith (3-2, 3-1, 3-1)
Nathan Aspinall 3-0 Luke Woodhouse (3-0, 3-1, 3-2)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"