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Gerwyn Price avoided an upset as he narrowly beat Japan’s Mikuru Suzuku on Day One of the Grand Slam of Darts.

Price, from Markham, came from behind to beat women’s champion Suzuki 5-4 as he looks to win his third consecutive Grand Slam title.

Price won the competition for the first time in 2018 and successfully defended the title in 2019.

After the game, Price, 35, said: “I didn’t play well there at all. I was let off, fair play to Mikuru – she was brilliant.

“I started poorly and I was chasing the game from then on. I shouldn’t have done that given how I’ve been playing the last few weeks.

“Fair play to Mikuru for taking out two ton-plus checkouts to put me under pressure. I was lucky to get over the winning line but a win’s a win.”

The 32-player tournament, which is being played in Coventry, got underway on Monday night (November 16), with the final set to be held on

Price will return to action on Tuesday night (November 17), where he will take on Llanelli’s Jonny Clayton, who Price partnered with to win the World Cup of Darts for Wales earlier this month.