Defending champion Humphries loses Grand Slam opener

Defending champion Luke Humphries suffered a shock defeat by Rowby-John Rodriguez in the first round of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

World number one Humphries was beaten 5-3 by Austria's Rodriguez in his first match of the group stage.

He still has to face Mickey Mansell and James Wade in Group A, with Mansell winning that pair's encounter 5-3. The top two players from each group will progress to the knockout rounds.

Meanwhile, teenager Luke Littler raced through his Grant Slam debut by completing a 5-0 victory over Keane Barry in Group F in just over six minutes.

Littler averaged 112.16 in a stunning performance, equalling Phil Taylor's record for the highest average in the tournament.

"I wanted to make a statement. I'm here to win," Littler told Sky Sports.

"I want to top the group. Everyone wants to. There's a little bonus for finishing top, so get out of the group stage and then focus on the first-to-10 legs and hopefully go on and on."

There was also a 5-0 clean sweep for Michael van Gerwen as the three-time world champion beat Netherlands' Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

Scotland's Gary Anderson won the other encounter in Van Gerwen's Group G, beating Ryan Joyce 4-1.

Michael Smith, the 2023 world champion, beat Mensur Suljovic 5-2; Stephen Bunting edged Wessel Nijman 5-4; and Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright suffered 5-0 defeats by Connor Scutt and Martin Lukeman respectively.

The group stages continue on Sunday, while the last-16 rounds begin on Wednesday followed by the semi-finals and finals on Sunday 17 November.