Defending World Matchplay champion Luke Littler secured his spot in the quarter-finals after an 11-8 win over Nathan Aspinall. The world number one delighted the audience at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool by hitting a perfect nine-dart leg, finishing on double 15.
The match remained competitive as Aspinall tied the score at 7-7, but Littler responded by winning three consecutive legs. The teenager ultimately closed out the match with a 113.68 average, marking the second-highest average in the event’s history. He managed to secure the win after Aspinall missed a crucial checkout in the 19th leg.
Littler expressed his excitement following the match, noting that the atmosphere shifted from early jeers to support from the crowd. He is set to face either Josh Rock or Stephen Bunting in the next round. In other tournament news, Dirk van Duijvenbode defeated Michael van Gerwen 14-12, while Gary Anderson advanced past Jonny Clayton with an 11-7 victory.
