Grand Slam of Darts draw and schedule: Luke Littler and other stars in action in Wolverhampton

Luke Littler will open his bid for a third consecutive Grand Slam of Darts title with a blockbuster encounter against Beau Greaves in Wolverhampton on Saturday night.

Teenager Littler - the dominant world number one, having also won the last two World Championship and World Matchplay titles - has never been beaten at WV Active Aldersley.

But he will have his work cut out in his first match of the expanded 48-player tournament against three-time Women’s World Matchplay champion Greaves.

The 22-year-old recorded a memorable victory when she met Littler in last year’s World Youth Championship semi-finals and will now take on the world number one for a first time on the big stage.

A high-profile Group A is completed by Dutch darts champion Niels Zonneveld, who will await both Littler and Greaves on Sunday and Monday in further round-robin ties.

The newly-expanded 48-player tournament takes place from November 14-22, as the sport’s biggest names go head-to-head for the iconic Eric Bristow Trophy.

In a change to previous years, the players are split into 16 groups of three, with only the group winner advancing to the knockout stages.

The opening round-robin games will take place during a bumper double session on Saturday, with 2023 champion Luke Humphries pitted against former Masters champion Joe Cullen and PDC Asian champion Paolo Nebrida in Group I.

Dutch number one Gian van Veen will headline Group M, as the world number three prepares to take on former World Youth champion Bradley Brooks and debutant Carl Sneyd.

Three-time champion Gerwyn Price kicks off his campaign against Challenge Tour champion Joe Hunt, with Poland’s number two Sebastian Bialecki also awaiting in Group E.

Michael van Gerwen – also a three-time Grand Slam winner – kicks off his challenge against talented youngster Henry Coates, while Sweden’s number one Jeffrey de Graaf completes Group L.

Scotland’s number two Cameron Menzies and ANZ Premier League champion Raymond Smith will face ninth seed Stephen Bunting in Group D, as Josh Rock faces debutants Kevin Doets and Tommy Morris in Group C.

Three-time runner-up James Wade also faces a tough assignment in Group K, as he goes up against last year’s quarter-finalist Ricky Evans and World Youth Championship finalist Cam Crabtree.

World number five Jonny Clayton is the seeded player in Group G, which also features 2023 runner-up Rob Cross and newly-crowned PDC Nordic & Baltic champion Anton Ostlund.

Group games get under way from 1pm in the afternoon session - with Bunting, Claydon, Ryan Searle and West Midlands star Luke Woodhouse among those in action - with the evening session starting at 7pm, with Littler, Humphries, Price and Van Gerwen all on the schedule.

The draw

Group A: Luke Littler, Niels Zonneveld, Beau Greaves.

Group B: Jermaine Wattimena, Alan Soutar, Lisa Ashton.

Group C: Josh Rock, Kevin Doets, Tommy Morris.

Group D: Stephen Bunting, Cameron Menzies, Raymond Smith.

Group E: Gerwyn Price, Sebastian Bialecki, Joe Hunt.

Group F: Ryan Searle, Andrew Gilding, Charlie Manby.

Group G: Jonny Clayton, Rob Cross, Anton Ostlund.

Group H: Wessel Nijman, Niko Springer, Adam Sevada.

Group I: Luke Humphries, Joe Cullen, Paolo Nebrida.

Group J: Luke Woodhouse, Krzysztof Ratajski, Tom Sykes.

Group K: James Wade, Ricky Evans, Cam Crabtree.

Group L: Michael van Gerwen, Jeffrey de Graaf, Henry Coates.

Group M: Gian van Veen, Bradley Brooks, Carl Sneyd.

Group N: Chris Dobey, Martin Schindler, Jan Schmidt.

Group O: Ross Smith, Gabriel Clemens, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez.

Group P: Nathan Aspinall, Karel Sedlacek, Maik Kuivenhoven.

The schedule

Saturday, November 14

Afternoon session (1pm start - 8x group matches - Player A v Player C): Luke Woodhouse v Tom Sykes (J), Jermaine Wattimena v Lisa Ashton (B), Stephen Bunting v Raymond Smith (D), Ryan Searle v Charlie Manby (F), Josh Rock v Tommy Morris (C), Wessel Nijman v Adam Sevada (H), Nathan Aspinall v Maik Kuivenhoven (P), Jonny Clayton v Anton Ostlund (G).

Evening session (7pm start - 8x group matches - Player A v Player C): Gerwyn Price v Joe Hunt (E), James Wade v Cam Crabtree (K), Ross Smith v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (O), Michael van Gerwen v Henry Coates (L), Luke Humphries v Paolo Nebrida (I), Luke Littler v Beau Greaves (A), Gian van Veen v Carl Sneyd (M), Chris Dobey v Jan Schmidt (N).

Sunday, November 15

Afternoon session (1pm start): 8x group matches (Player B v Saturday afternoon’s losing player).

Evening session (7pm start): 8x group matches (Player B v Saturday evening’s losing player).

Monday, November 16

Evening session only (7pm start): 8x group matches (Groups A-H, Player B v Saturday’s winning player).

Tuesday, November 17

Evening session only (7pm start): 8x group matches (Groups I-P, Player B v Saturday’s winning player)

Wednesday, November 18

Evening session only (7pm start - round two matches): Winner Group A v Winner Group B, Winner Group C v Winner Group D, Winner Group E v Winner Group F, Winner Group G v Winner Group H.

Thursday, November 19

Evening session only (7pm start - round two matches): Winner Group I v Winner Group J, Winner Group K v Winner Group L, Winner Group M v Winner Group N, Winner Group O v Winner Group P.

Friday, November 20

Evening session only (7pm start - quarter-final matches): Winner A/B v Winner C/D, Winner E/F v Winner G/H.

Saturday, November 21

Evening session only (7pm start - quarter-final matches): Winner I/J v Winner K/L, Winner M/N v Winner O/P.

Sunday November 22

Afternoon session (1pm start): Semi-Finals

Evening session (7.30pm start): Final