The famous trio has successfully secured their spots in the highly anticipated 32-player tournament set to take place in Wolverhampton from November 9-17, where the sport’s biggest names will compete for the prestigious Eric Bristow Trophy.
Van Leuven is gearing up for her debut at the Grand Slam of Darts next month, having earned her qualification through the PDC Women’s Series Order of Merit. The Dutch star showcased her talent by claiming her fourth Women’s Series title of 2024 in Leicester over the weekend, achieving a remarkable average of 109.64 to defeat Beau Greaves 5-3 in the Event 21 final.
Although Greaves secured the top spot on the Women’s Series Order of Merit, Van Leuven’s impressive performances were enough to secure the second spot, edging out Fallon Sherrock who had three titles to her name by the end of the year.
On the other hand, Gates will be making his second appearance at the Grand Slam next month after making history by becoming the first player to win multiple CDC Continental Cup titles. His return to Wolverhampton was confirmed after a series of victories against Doug Boehm, Alex Spellman, and Jim Long in Philadelphia.
Ilagan also earned his place at the Grand Slam this weekend by defeating his compatriot Sandro Eric Sosing in the 2024 PDC Asian Championship in Manila. The eight-time World Championship qualifier emerged victorious with a 7-3 scoreline, joining the ranks of previous winners Christian Perez and Haruki Muramatsu at the WV Active Aldersley.
The trio of Gates, van Leuven, and Ilagan will be joining a star-studded lineup in Wolverhampton, which includes reigning champion Luke Humphries and 2022 winner Michael Smith. Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen will be making his 17th Grand Slam appearance in 2024, while Premier League champion Luke Littler is gearing up for his highly-anticipated debut in Wolverhampton.