World Grand Prix: Andrew Gilding shocks Gary Anderson as Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith ease through

‘Goldfinger’ Andrew Gilding shocks Gary Anderson as Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith advance to quarter-finals; Watch the double-in, double-out World Grand Prix Darts at Leicester’s Morningside Arena until the final on October 8 – live on Sky Sports

Dark horse Andrew Gilding caused a seismic shock at the World Grand Prix by dumping Gary Anderson as Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith came through at the Morningside Arena in Leicester on Wednesday.

UK Open champion Gilding ended the hopes of two-time world champion Anderson, while reigning world champion Smith and 2020 champion Price continued their title challenges with comfortable victories against 2011 runners-up Brendan Dolan and Krzysztof Ratajski respectively.

German number 2 Martin Schindler stunned the resurgent Stephen Bunting to reach the quarter-finals.

Gilding put together a great fight to dump Anderson from 2016 and advance to his first World Grand Prix quarter-final.

Anderson won two of the first three sets without reply to lead 2–1, although Gilding was unfazed, winning six of the last seven legs to celebrate an historic win on a big stage at ‘The Flying Scotsman’.

“In all my matches lately I’ve just taken advantage of my opponents’ mistakes,” admitted Gilding, who also fought back from a set down to eliminate eighth-seeded Rob Cross in the opening round.

“To be honest, I did the same thing at the UK Open. I didn’t play that well during the tournament, I was just there when I needed to be there.

“I never thought I would win a major, and now I dream of winning another, but Michael is playing well. He is so natural and it will be difficult to beat him.”

Top seed Smith underlined his credentials with a dominant performance against Dolan, running out an emphatic 3-0 winner to break new ground at the event.

The world No. 1 had never reached the quarter-finals but he put on a clinical display on the outer ring to set up a last-eight showdown with Gilding.

“I’ve waited so long to get past the second round of the World Grand Prix, so I’m over the moon,” revealed ‘Bully Boy’, who has conceded just three legs to reach the quarter-finals.

Welshman Price also advanced to the last eight with a straight-sets success, beating Polish ace Ratajski in a match that saw all three sets go the distance.

“I’m defending a last place from two years ago, so hopefully I can go one better. I’ve won this title before, so I know what it takes, but I have to play much better than that.” said 2020 champion Price, who landed five 180s and put 45 percent of his darts on a finishing double.

Elsewhere, Schindler became the first German player to progress to the quarter-finals of the tournament, converting three ton-plus finishes to deny Stephen Bunting in a five-set thriller.

Thursday during the World Grand Prix

Luke Humphries opens the evening as he takes on debutant Luke Woodhouse before 2018 runner-up Peter Wright tackles Ryan Searle.

Michal van Gerwen, who won the World Grand Prix title for the sixth time in 2022, faces Masters champion Chris Dobey.

The pair met in the quarter-final of the 2022 event, with Van Gerwen enjoying a 3-1 success and feeling confident he is unstoppable as he chases a record seventh World Grand Prix title.

“That’s not going to happen,” Van Gerwen joked. “The format will get longer and longer after tonight and that won’t do my opponent any good.

“You’ll have a tough opponent in the next game, but I just have to believe in my ability and that’s what I’m doing at the moment and that’s maybe why I’m playing so well.”

European champion Ross Smith takes on Joe Cullen in the final match of the evening.

Watch the double-in, double-out World Grand Prix Darts at Leicester’s Morningside Arena every night until the final on October 8 – live on Sky Sports. Stream the World Grand Prix and more with NOW for £21 per month for six months