Luke Littler advanced to the last 16 of the PDC World Championship with a 4-1 win over Ian White, despite struggling with his doubles throughout the match. The 17-year-old from the UK averaged just under 98 for the match, and although he had set darts against him in the first and fourth sets, he found his form when it mattered most. After surviving some erratic finishing, Littler secured crucial sets, including a strong finish on the bull in the third set. He will next face Ryan Joyce, who edged out Ryan Searle in a dramatic 4-3 match.
In other action, Michael van Gerwen progressed to the fourth round with a 4-2 victory over Brendan Dolan. The three-time world champion showed glimpses of his best but admitted there were areas of his game that still needed refining, especially after a brief lapse that allowed Dolan to take a set back. Van Gerwen, chasing his first world title since 2019, remains confident about his chances.
Chris Dobey fought back from behind to defeat Josh Rock 4-2, while Nathan Aspinall cruised to a 4-0 victory over Andrew Gilding. Aspinall, who has struggled with finishing in the past, acknowledged an improvement in that area and expressed his growing confidence for the tougher challenges ahead in the tournament.
Ricardo Pietreczko also impressed with a 4-1 win over Scott Williams, completing the match with an outstanding 121 checkout. He will face Aspinall in the next round.
The tournament continues to deliver drama, with some big names still searching for the coveted world title.
