Luke Littler: World No 1 wins scrappy encounter at Players Championship Finals to make quarter-finals

Luke Littler won a scrappy encounter against Ricardo Pietreczko at the Players Championship Finals on Saturday night to reach the quarter-finals.

New world No 1 Littler overcame German star Pietreczko 10-6 in a back-and-forth battle, averaging 102.67 to remain on course to win every major in the sport.

Last year’s runner-up appeared in a spot of bother when he was locked at 5-5, but he stepped on the gas to win four out of the next five legs and land a stunning 121 with the aid of two bullseyes en route to victory.

“Obviously I am never happy when I am losing, at 3-2 down I then got it back to 5-all and I just had to kick on there,” Littler said on ITV4.

“I knew there were no more breaks, we were on (stage) until the end and I managed to get the job done. I was not the best on my doubles tonight, but I can sharpen up on them again tomorrow afternoon.”

Round Three Results
Main Stage

• Gerwyn Price 10-6 Martin Schindler
• Nathan Aspinall 10-8 Danny Noppert
• Luke Littler 10-6 Ricardo Pietreczko
• Josh Rock 10-8 Krzysztof Ratajski

Stage Two

• Daryl Gurney 10-9 Adam Lipscombe
• James Wade 10-6 Andrew Gilding
• Jermaine Wattimena 10-8 Ryan Searle
• Chris Dobey 10-5 James Hurrell

Littler, who will face Chris Dobey in the quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon, added: “This is one (title) I have not won, everyone does know that. I am definitely chasing for it tomorrow.”

‘Hollywood’ made it through to the last eight for the first time since 2019, beating surprise package James Hurrell 10-5.

Littler had earlier averaged a whopping 107 against Ross Smith – who averaged 102 and struck a 157 checkout – to win 6-3 and advance to round three.

The teenager smashed in four 180s and a high checkout of 121 for a place in the last 16 against Pietreczko.

The German downed ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Gary Anderson, who squandered five for the match to gift ‘Pikachu’ a 6-5 win thanks to a 116 checkout.

Anderson, 54, battled through illness to compete at Minehead and he has cast a huge doubt about getting back to his best ahead of this year’s Worlds at Alexandra Palace, saying: “I’ve not got time to play darts at this moment in my life. I have so much going on darts is down the ladder. It’s simple as that.”

Daryl Gurney, the 2018 champion here, survived 10 match darts from surprise contender Adam Lipscombe to land an 11-darter in the deciding leg to seal a stunning 10-9 victory to earn a blockbuster meeting with Gerwyn Price.

The No 1 seed smashed in a huge 161 checkout and won six of the final seven legs to see off German No 1 Martin Schindler 10-6.

Price says he is preparing for a bruising showdown with Gurney following their tense exchange at the World Matchplay in Blackpool in July.

“I’ve got my boxing gloves packed I am ready for him,” said the world No 10.

Gurney is the only remaining former champion left in the field after 2021 winner Peter Wright suffered a 6-4 defeat at the hands of James Wade earlier in the day.

The Scot, who won his first game on TV since January’s World Masters in the first round against Joe Cullen, hit back at the doubters as he looks to rediscover his best form in time for the Worlds.

“I love proving people wrong. A lot of people said I should give up, yeah, maybe they’re right, but inside here, I ain’t finished yet,” said Wright, a two-time world champion.

Wade followed up his earlier win over former world champion Wright with a 10-6 victory over ‘Goldfinger’ Andrew Gilding.

Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena battled past Ryan Searle 10-8 to secure his place in the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time.

Josh Rock took out four ton-plus finishes and averaged north of 107 in his 6-0 demolition job of Scott Williams in just 10 minutes. However, it was ‘Shaggy’ who stole the show with his Star Wars darts case whilst singing along to K-Pop Demon Hunters during his walk-on.

The Northern Irishman later squandered an 8-2 lead, but eventually made it over the line with a 10-8 win against Krzysztof Ratajski to set up a clash with Nathan Aspinall.

Aspinall held off Dutchman Danny Noppert 10-8, with both players hitting six 180s.

Sunday November 23
Afternoon Session (12.45pm)
Quarter-Finals – first to 10 legs

• Gerwyn Price vs Daryl Gurney
• Luke Littler vs Chris Dobey
• Nathan Aspinall vs Josh Rock
• James Wade vs Jermaine Wattimena

Evening Session (7pm)
Semi-Finals – first to 11 legs

• Price/Gurney vs Littler/Dobey
• Aspinall/Rock vs Wade/Wattimena

Winmau World Youth Championship Final (around 9pm)

• Beau Greaves vs Gian van Veen
• First to 6 legs

Gian van Veen, who dethroned defending champion Luke Humphries in the opening round, suffered a dramatic 6-5 defeat to Polish No 1 Krzysztof Ratajski after squandering a 5-3 lead and two match darts.

The new European Champion is now blocking all talk of his mouth-watering World Youth Final showdown against Beau Greaves on Sunday evening.

“I’m not even thinking about that game against Beau,” he said.

Round Two Results
Main Stage

• Daryl Gurney 6-4 Stephen Bunting
• James Wade 6-4 Peter Wright
• Nathan Aspinall 6-0 Richard Veenstra
• Gerwyn Price 6-1 Sebastian Bialecki
• Luke Littler 6-3 Ross Smith
• Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Gian van Veen
• Josh Rock 6-0 Scott Williams
• Danny Noppert 6-1 Madars Razma

Stage Two

• James Hurrell 6-1 Luke Woodhouse
• Adam Lipscombe 6-2 Bradley Brooks
• Ryan Searle 6-5 Callan Rydz
• Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Ryan Joyce
• Martin Schindler 6-4 Nick Kenny
• Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5 Gary Anderson
• Andrew Gilding 6-5 Justin Hood
• Chris Dobey 6-5 Cam Crabtree

Whitlock qualifies for Alexandra Palace

Simon Whitlock will make his return to the Paddy Power World Darts Championship after winning the 2025 Dabble Darts ANZ Premier League in Brisbane on Saturday.

The Australian icon beat Raymond Smith 10-7 in the final at Nissan Arena to pocket the $30,000 prize but more importantly his place at Alexandra Palace next month.

The former World Championship runner-up was full of emotion post-match, having missed out on last year’s World Championship which ended a 15-year streak of featuring at Ally Pally.

“It means the world to me,” reflected Whitlock. “This gets me into the World Championship now and that gives me a lifeline to do some other things as well.

“I just want to thank the crowd and all my family that are here tonight. They’ve been amazing.

“It’s been a real struggle. Raymond’s probably been the best player throughout this tournament, but thank God I pulled it out on the night. I had to.

“Just getting back in the World Championship, that’s a lot for me and this means the world just to have a chance to be a World Champion again. I just want to cry, but I’m not going to.”

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