Overview
- World No.1 Luke Humphries beat Michael Smith 5-3, sealing victory with a nine-darter to secure a place in the Grand Slam knockout stage.
- Smith opened his campaign with a 5-3 win over Nathan Aspinall, capitalizing as Aspinall missed 20 darts at double.
- Smith broke down in tears during a post-match interview and was withdrawn from the standard winners’ press conference for his well-being.
- His return comes after an injury-hit year that included arthritis in his throwing hand, shoulder and foot/ankle problems, and laser eye treatment.
- Smith still has a group match against Alex Spellman, with progression dependent on remaining results after Humphries advanced and Aspinall beat Spellman 5-2.