Sports
Luke Littler situation up a World Darts Championship remaining rematch against Michael van Gerwen on the Dutch Darts Masters, as world Number 1 Luke Humphries crashed out within the first spherical.
After starting 2025 by turning into the youngest world champion within the sport’s historic past, Littler suffered a quarter-remaining exit by the fingers of Gerwyn Tag whereas making an try to defend his Bahrain Masters title earlier this month.
Now, he’ll look to pass one step further on the Dutch Darts Masters where he lost 8-6 to Van Gerwen in 2024, and the 2 will meet again on Saturday evening.
What makes historic past-maker Luke Littler so special? Phil Taylor: Luke Littler must overcome ‘Man Utd syndrome’ to beat my document Darts in 2025 – agenda and dates for PDC events Not received Sky? Find Sky Sports or movement with NOW Littler, who turned 18 on Tuesday, was as soon as in a battle with ‘The Dreammaker’ Dimitri Van den Bergh which he within the extinguish received 6-4, both breaking one one more constantly all over.
Please utilize Chrome browser for a more accessible video participant
Rob a explore motivate on one of the best moments of World Champion Luke Littler’s occupation as he celebrates his 18th birthday
After a vivid 134 checkout within the second leg from Littler, the decisive moment got here when he nailed a 102 checkout for a defend of throw to pass motivate level at 4-4 sooner than breaking the throw as soon as more.
He then wrapped up the competition in some vogue, two maximums setting him up on 51 which he nailed on his licensed D10.
This yell is equipped by Twitter, which ceaselessly is the utilize of cookies and other applied sciences.
To instruct you this yell, we wish your permission to utilize cookies.
You might well utilize the buttons beneath to amend your preferences to permit Twitter cookies or to permit those cookies factual as soon as.
You might well commerce your settings at any time through the Privateness Alternatives.
Sadly we now were unable to study whereas you hang consented to Twitter cookies.
To sight this yell it is probably going you’ll maybe also utilize the button beneath to permit Twitter cookies for this session most effective.
Van Gerwen, in his first showing since his World Darts Championship remaining loss against Littler at Alexandra Palace, received off to a appropriate open within the defence of his Dutch Darts Masters title by dominating fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode in a comprehensive 6-1 victory.
After breaking his opponent to pass 3-1 in entrance, Van Gerwen received 5 legs in a row to cruise through to a 14th match up with the reigning world champion. The wins are 7-6 in Littler’s favour, his worlds victory hanging him within the lead.
Dutch Darts Masters: Day ones outcomes
Rob Substandard
6-3
Richard Veenstra
Nathan Aspinall
1-6
Kevin Doets
Stephen Bunting
6-5
Gian van Veen
Chris Dobey
5-6
Raymond van Barneveld
Gerwyn Tag
6-2
Danny Noppert
Luke Humphries
3-6
Jermaine Wattimena
Michael van Gerwen
6-1
Dirk van Duijvenbode
Luke Littler
6-4
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Wattimena, Barney, Doets strike on evening of upsets Jermaine Wattimena effect on a hasty-paced and fiery efficiency to fight motivate and reason an upset with a 6-3 acquire against world Number 1 Humphries.
This yell is equipped by Twitter, which ceaselessly is the utilize of cookies and other applied sciences.
To instruct you this yell, we wish your permission to utilize cookies.
You might well utilize the buttons beneath to amend your preferences to permit Twitter cookies or to permit those cookies factual as soon as.
You might well commerce your settings at any time through the Privateness Alternatives.
Sadly we now were unable to study whereas you hang consented to Twitter cookies.
To sight this yell it is probably going you’ll maybe also utilize the button beneath to permit Twitter cookies for this session most effective.
The 2024 world champion raced into a 2-0 lead but from there it was as soon as all Wattimena, who took 5 improbable legs in a row, pinning 153 and 111 checkouts on the vogue.
The Dutchman will now come up against Rob Substandard within the quarter-finals, who bounced motivate from an early exit in Bahrain with a 6-3 victory over Richard Veenstra, a 100 checkout plus three obligatory breaks of throw helping him over the line.
In an evening of upsets, hometown hero Raymond van Barneveld moreover bowled over Chris Dobey in a final-leg decider to acquire it through to the quarter-finals.
Image:
Raymond van Barneveld was as soon as visibly emotional after his mammoth victory
In a anxious conflict with ‘Hollywood’ hitting maximums for relaxing, van Barneveld rallied with the gang within the motivate of him and took the acquire in spectacular trend, pinning a sensational 144 checkout.
Dobey missed a match walk and was as soon as punished, the 5-time world champion visibly emotional after the victory.
The Dutchman will now face Stephen Bunting, who survived a final-leg shoot-out against Gian van Veen to acquire 6-5.
Please utilize Chrome browser for a more accessible video participant
Highlights of the World Darts Championship semi-remaining match between Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting
Bunting entered the tournament on a excessive after picking up his maiden World Sequence title in Bahrain and it showed, ‘The Bullet’ discovering the obligatory smash within the sixth leg and averaging over 100.
Van Veen was as soon as throwing some excessive-quality darts too even though and after an 11-walk leg to interrupt Bunting motivate, he took the match your whole manner sooner than Bunting pinned 70 on D16 to wrap issues up.
Dutch Darts Masters: Quarter-finals
Stephen Bunting
vs
Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Littler
vs
Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Tag
vs
Kevin Doets
Jermaine Wattimena
vs
Rob Substandard
Kevin Doets moreover made his impress as he cruised past Nathan Aspinall to acquire it through to Saturday on the Dutch Darts Masters.
Doets, who bowled over ragged world champion Michael Smith on the World Darts Championship, was as soon as on fire within the competition and with a huge 138 checkout, 60 percent on the doubles, plus three breaks of throw sealed a mammoth 6-1 victory.
Please utilize Chrome browser for a more accessible video participant
Kevin Doets dumped out World No 2 Michael Smith in dramatic trend of their second spherical conflict on the World Darts Championship
He now faces Gerwyn Tag who got here away with a comprehensive 6-2 victory over Danny Noppert, the ‘Iceman’ persevering with his obtain from Bahrain with a mammoth 124 checkout and 101.85 common to place himself on top.
Sky Sports will as soon as more be house of the Premier League in 2025, with every evening exclusively dwell along with the World Matchplay, World Unheard of Prix, Unheard of Slam of Darts and more! Stream darts and more top sport with NOW