Jonny Clayton faces Rob Cross in Grand Slam of Darts Group G

Jonny Clayton has been handed one of the toughest draws at the Grand Slam of Darts, with Grand Slam of Darts Group G pitting the Welsh fifth seed against former world champion Rob Cross. Sweden’s Anton Ostlund, who took the last place in the field on Sunday, completes the group.

Clayton opens against Ostlund in Saturday’s afternoon session in Wolverhampton. Under this year’s format, only the group winner reaches the last 16, so every leg against Cross could count.

Jonny Clayton: one of darts’ great late bloomers

The Ferret’s best year came in 2021, when he won four majors: the Masters, the Premier League, the World Series Finals and the World Grand Prix. He has also won the World Cup twice with Gerwyn Price, in 2020 and 2023.

Last year was another strong one. He lost the World Masters final to Luke Humphries in a deciding leg, having averaged 112.77 against Martin Schindler in the first round, the highest televised average of his career. He reached the semi-finals of the UK Open and the World Matchplay and won the Dutch Darts Championship. At the World Cup, he and Price lost the final 10-9 to Northern Ireland.

In 2026 he reached the World Championship quarter-finals before losing to Ryan Searle. He returned to the Premier League and led the table in the spring. He lost finals at the Belgian Darts Open and Players Championship 16, but beat Humphries 8-4 in October to win the Swiss Darts Trophy. That was his first ranking title for more than a year, as our Jonny Clayton reaction explains, and it changed his November plans.

Jonny Clayton’s Grand Slam record

The Grand Slam has rarely been his best event. His deepest run came in 2021, when he reached the quarter-finals before losing 16-12 to Price.

Last year was a shock. Cam Crabtree beat him 5-1 in his opening game, and Lukas Wenig then won 5-3 to knock him out. Clayton beat Danny Noppert 5-4 in his last match, despite Noppert averaging 107, but still finished bottom of the group.

For a player with his record in majors, it is a puzzle, and it gives him something to prove.

Player	Biggest honour	Route into Group G
Jonny Clayton	Four majors in 2021	Fifth seed
Rob Cross	2018 world champion	Drawn from the second pot
Anton Ostlund	Nordic & Baltic champion	Final place in the field

Grand Slam of Darts Group G: the Rob Cross test

Cross is a dangerous opponent and has beaten Clayton on the big stage before, whitewashing him 4-0 at the 2024 World Championship. He reached the Grand Slam final in 2023, losing 16-8 to Humphries.

His 2026 has been mixed. Littler beat him 4-2 at Ally Pally, and he lost a deciding leg to James Wade in the UK Open quarter-finals. But he won Players Championship 22 in June, his first ranking title in more than a year, and reached the Slovak Darts Open final days later.

Ostlund should not be underestimated. The 26-year-old won the PDC Nordic & Baltic Championship in Odense on Sunday, beating Darius Labanauskas 8-4 in the final. The win also earned him a first World Championship place.

Group games are best of nine legs. A win earns two points, and leg difference settles any tie.

Clayton has to beat Ostlund on Saturday. If he does, Cross faces Ostlund on Sunday, and the Clayton-Cross decider on Monday or Tuesday could be one of the matches of the week.

See every group in our Grand Slam of Darts groups guide and the full Grand Slam schedule. Read our preview of James Wade’s Group K, follow the Jonny Clayton and Rob Cross profiles, and find every result on our PDC darts hub.

Grand Slam of Darts Group G FAQ

Who is in Grand Slam of Darts Group G?
Jonny Clayton (5), Rob Cross and Anton Ostlund. Only the winner reaches the last 16.

When does Jonny Clayton play at the Grand Slam?
He opens against Anton Ostlund in Saturday’s afternoon session, which starts at 1pm.

Has Jonny Clayton ever won the Grand Slam of Darts?
No. His best run was a quarter-final in 2021.

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