Luke Littler triumphed over Peter Wright in a dramatic 10-9 victory on Friday evening at the UK Darts Open in Minehead, securing his place in the next round.
The reigning world champion held his nerve in a tense deciding leg, with both players delivering a high-quality performance. Wright showcased his trademark impressive checkouts, but Littler demonstrated immense composure under pressure. The young star even teased the crowd by opting for a lay-up shot rather than attempting a spectacular “big fish” checkout before sealing the win.
Elsewhere, world number one Luke Humphries faced a stern challenge from reigning women’s world champion Beau Greaves, who had already made history as the first female player to win three consecutive matches in the tournament.
Greaves made a strong start and briefly led the contest, but Humphries rallied to secure a 10-7 victory with a composed finish. After the match, Humphries praised Greaves’ talent, predicting a bright future for her in top-tier darts.
Michael van Gerwen narrowly avoided an upset, overcoming Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-8, while defending champion Dimitri Van den Bergh began his campaign with a victory over Raymond van Barneveld.
Former champions Nathan Aspinall, Danny Noppert, and James Wade also progressed, while Gary Anderson and Andrew Gilding suffered early exits.
Gerwyn Price endured a heartbreaking defeat to Connor Scutt, despite staging an impressive comeback. Meanwhile, Chris Dobey battled from behind to defeat Premier League rival Stephen Bunting, and Rob Cross cruised to victory.
Michael Smith, known as “Bully Boy,” found redemption after a difficult spell of form with a much-needed win over Kevin Doets, while Dave Chisnall edged past Ricky Evans in a gripping encounter.
Other notable winners included Damon Heta, who dominated Kim Huybrechts, and Jurjen van der Velde, the only remaining player from the first round.
The fifth-round draw has set up several intriguing matchups, including Van den Bergh against Dobey, Humphries against Searle, Littler against Wattimena, and Van Gerwen against Owen. The tournament continues with the fifth and sixth rounds on Saturday.
