2026 World Grand Prix Saturday Preview – JP
2026 World Grand Prix Saturday Preview
We move into the semi-final stage now and after one winner last night, we are still ahead overall for the week. Check out James Punt’s 2026 World Grand Prix Saturday preview and tips below.
Friday Reflections
Zonneveld missing set darts in the second set was the difference between a profitable night and a small loss, but miss he did, and it was a -1.05 point loss on the night. We now move to the semi-final stage and the matches are now best of nine sets, so a much longer format.
Gerwyn Price vs. Nathan Aspinall
This should be very good. Price survived match darts against him and he was lucky to get past Jonny Clayton, but he never gave up and he held his nerve just that bit better than Clayton.
The Ferret went 2-0 up early on and looked to be in control, but he went on the back foot and only won one leg in the next two sets. Clayton went 2-0 up in the deciding set, but Price squared the match and it came down to Clayton missing at the very death. He was really pissed off. Price very relieved. It was a tough match and I wonder if it has drained Price’s batteries a little.
Demolition Job
Aspinall destroyed Ryan Joyce. The Geordie was my pick, and he played much as I expected, but got off to a slow start. Aspinall was very quick out of the blocks and won the first set 3-0. He was still beating Joyce up in the second set, but Joyce did his thing and squared it before The Asp took it 3-2.
It was the same story in the third set, Aspinall winning the deciding leg and the match. He averaged 105, hit seven 180s and checked out at 47%. It was a very strong performance, especially in the double in format. It was the best performance that we have seen all week.
Both Firing
The only other player to have a ton plus average this week was Gerwyn Price. That was back in the very short format first round match, and it is easier to do it in a best of three set match. Aspinall kept his standard up all the way through the match, and Joyce did well to make a match of the last two sets.
Price looked great in that first round win over Bialecki, but since then, he has been good, rather than great. He is in good form, winning eight of his last ten matches, as has Aspinall.
Aspinall has improved match by match, but it would be foolish to think he can average 105 again tonight. He probably won’t need to. This format is much less about averages than in a ‘normal’ format. Ryan Joyce got a kicking last night, was nearly 20 points off Aspinall’s average, but with a bit of luck, he could have been 2-1 up after three sets. Timing is so important.
H2H
Their H2H record is 20-14 to Price. Aspinall has won their last two, but they have not met in 2026. On TV it is 11-10 to Price. Most of those wins for Price came in Premier League matches. In TV Majors it is 4-3 to Aspinall. It is no secret that Aspinall loves playing Price. They are very similar players. Both like a good pace and both are very much in your face, loud players. They will both give it some.
These two played in the 2022 semi-final and it was Aspinall who won that 4-2 (it was best of seven sets back then), and he will remember that.
Price Fav
William Hill have Price as the 1.67 favourite (1.62 elsewhere if you want a bigger bet). Aspinall is the 2.38 outsider. I am a bit surprised. It looks like being a close match to me, it could go either way, but I think Aspinall wants it more, indeed he needs it more.
He wants back in the PL, and that means putting himself in the shop window. Win this tournament and he will do just that. Price? After losing the final of the World Series, he said that he doesn’t care if never wins another major.
The two players are similar on the oche, but off it? Price is minted. His business interests mean he doesn’t have to play darts anymore. Aspinall has won nearly three million quid in prize money, so he is hardly skint, but he knows the value of money.
His career has been blighted by injury, and by Dartitis. There have been times that he has thought it was all over, that he would have to retire and do what? He still needs it, he needs the money. He really cares about winning another major. Maybe that is the difference.
2026 World Grand Prix Saturday Tip: 1 point Nathan Aspinall to win @ 2.38 with Betfred, BET365 (2.60 Betfair Exchange)
Their 2022 semi-final wasn’t a belter, both averaged in the high 80s and they hit eleven 180s in the six sets. Tonight, I would be surprised if we don’t get eight sets. So far, these two have hit 180s at a combined 3.10 per set, with Aspinall leading the way with 18, Price 11. I can see these two bouncing off each other and having a bit of a 180 cock fight.
2026 World Grand Prix Saturday Tip: 1 point over 17.5 180’s @ 2.63 with Betfred
Luke Humphries vs. James Wade
Our outright each way selection, James Wade, is on the cusp of the payout zone. Will he join my extensive list of semi-final losers, or can he make his fourth Grand Prix final? To do so he will have to deny Humphries his fourth Grand Prix final, in a row.
Wade is in excellent form, winning fourteen of his last fifteen matches and he has got better with each match played this week. He beat Gian van Veen with ease last night, needing just 10 legs to do it. He averaged 96.71 and dominated a disappointing Van Veen. It wasn’t a match that will have taken much out of him.
Luke Humphries beat Niels Zonneveld, also 3-0. He averaged 85.91 and played OK. Zonneveld was poor on the doubles and just wasn’t up to the job. Humphries has won eight of his last ten matches and is playing well enough, but not his best. However, he knows how to win the big titles and with Littler out, he will know that this is as good a chance to win a major as he may get this year.
H2H
Their H2H record is 15-7 to Humphries, and in TV majors 6-4. Humphries is the 1.57 favourite, James Wade 2.50.
Humphries has only lost three sets in his three semi-finals here, all of them to Danny Noppert last year. He gets the format, knows what to do, but Wade is the better player right now.
We are on Wade outright, but I do not think laying off on Humphries at 1.57 is a great idea. Wade has a good chance to win it, and if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. However, I expect a relatively close match, despite there not having been many in the tournament so far. We are due one.
