Price books Clayton showdown at World Grand Prix as Aspinall races through
Gerwyn Price set up an all-Welsh quarter-final showdown with Jonny Clayton with a straight-sets win over Ross Smith at the World Grand Prix, as Ryan Joyce and Nathan Aspinall also progressed in Leicester.
Nathan Aspinall and Ryan Joyce claimed straight-set wins to also reach the last eight in Leicester; Gerwyn Price beat Ross Smith 3-0 after Jonny Clayton despatched Wessel Nijman 3-1; watch the World Grand Prix throughout the week live on Sky Sports
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Gerwyn Price set up an all-Welsh quarter-final showdown with Jonny Clayton with a straight-sets win over Ross Smith at the World Grand Prix, as Ryan Joyce and Nathan Aspinall also progressed in Leicester.
Price, among the tournament favourites after Luke Littler's shock early exit, followed his opening-round victory over Sebastian Białecki by dropping just four legs to despatch Smith at the Mattioli Arena.
The 2020 champion was outscored by Smith - having posted the highest average of the first round - but dropped just four legs during his 3-0 win, securing him a meeting with World Cup of Darts partner Clayton on Friday evening.
Clayton opened with three consecutive ton-plus checkouts and made four in total during a 3-1 victory over Wessel Nijman, where a 93.08 average and some remarkable finishing pushed him past the 12th seed.
Ryan Joyce breezed into the quarter-finals with a straight-sets victory over Danny Noppert, as Luke Woodhouse - who stunned Littler in the first round - was knocked out after losing 3-0 to Nathan Aspinall in a one-sided contest.
Price averaged 101.61 on Monday night but was over 10 points lower against Smith, where he recovered from being broken early with a 13-darter to match it in the next and then claim the opening set in a final-leg decider.
The world No 4 took out an 86 finish on his way to winning the second set and nailed an 80 checkout early in the third, where Smith took out 116 to break and extend the match before Price closed out victory on D18.
"I don't think it was a great game and I don't think we played brilliant," Price admitted to Sky Sports . "What we did do in patches was start well and finish well, but the bits in between were a little bit rubbish.
"I know he [Clayton] is chasing a Grand Slam spot, so the pressure is on him. I think he got lucky first round - hopefully he doesn't get lucky in the next round!"
Clayton won the opening set in straight legs after three consecutive ton-plus finishes, immediately breaking with a 112 checkout, taking out 116 to hold throw and then nailing a 125 finish on the bullseye.
Nijman responded to Clayton pinching a leg with a 90 finish to take the second set in a final-leg decider, before 'The Ferret' regained the lead by starting the third with another bullseye finish to take out 126.
Clayton, who posted eight maximums alongside his impressive finishing, then reeled off four of the next six legs to reach the quarter-finals for a third consecutive year.
"My scoring was good but, to be fair, Wessel [Nijman] missed a few chances on doubles and he gave me a few chances," Clayton told Sky Sports . "The two bullseyes were good, the 126 was good and I have a big smile."
Woodhouse halted Littler's title defence on Monday but saw his own hopes quickly ended by Aspinall, as he lost the first four legs before nailing a 135 finish to break throw.
Aspinall - who averaged 96.27 and crashed in eight 180s - immediately broke back and then took out 104 to open a two-set buffer, before reeling off three consecutive legs from 2-0 down in the next to confirm his quarter-final spot.
"As long as I can handle the pressure, which I think I have shown in these two games in the key moments, I am going to be tough to beat this week," Aspinall told Sky Sports . "If it all comes together, I am one of the best players in the world. Everybody knows that but I have to prove it."
Aspinall will next face Joyce, who dominated an opening match of the evening where Noppert won just three legs and seemed frustrated about the stage floorboards moving.
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