GET your chores done early, fill a bowl full of your favourite snacks and settle into your comfy chair to see if Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler can go all the way in the UK Open on Sunday.
The Warrington 17-year-old, who is now the tournament co-favourite, will be among the quarter-finalists from 12.45pm, live on ITV4, after knocking out St Helens thrower Dave Chisnall in the last 16 at Butlin’s Resort Minehead on Saturday night.
‘The Nuke’ sent Chizzy dizzy with his best average scoring of the tournament so far to deliver a solid 10-5 victory and stay on track for the £110,000 first prize.
LITTLER INTO THE QUARTERS! ☢️
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 2, 2024
Luke Littler doing Luke Littler things!
'The Nuke' averages 103.38 in a 10-5 win over Dave Chisnall.
📺 https://t.co/D7iTWZMSbj#UKOpenDarts | R6 pic.twitter.com/GtWCxcKdMi
Although he got off to a slow start and was broken in the first leg, he clawed his way back from 3-1 down to win six of the next seven legs for a 7-4 lead and the world number 10 never got a proper look-in again after that.
While Littler’s display was absent of his typical flashy big finishes and down on 180s, there was a consistency to his scoring that produced a 103.3 average for the match and wore the 43-year-old down.
The teenager, who was still at Padgate Academy this time last year, also banked 59 per cent of his doubles, with his highest checkout being 94 as he moved 9-5 ahead.
Earlier in the day, Littler was given a tough ride by German professional Martin Schnider before running out the 10-8 winner to back up his 10-7 success against James Wade upon entering the competition at the fourth-round stage on Friday night.
“I think if everyone didn’t know, they are going to know now that I am not a morning person,” said Littler.
“I did struggle this morning but I managed to get over the line against Martin.
“After that game, I chilled out, had some food, and I think played better in the evening, every player thinks they play better in the evening.
“I chilled myself out, went on my phone, went out for some food. This morning I didn’t have breakfast and I was feeling sick because there was nothing in my stomach and my adrenalin was going.
“That first game was really hard to get over the line.”
‘The Nuke’ has been the big draw for supporters in the Somerset seaside town and indeed has been the only thrower to appear on the main stage for all three of his matches.
He has already gone further in this competition than before, having made it to the fourth round on his debut last year.
The quarter-final draw was made after Saturday night's matches were all finished and Littler will be up against Australia's Damon Heta for a place in the semi-finals, with the pair expected on stage around 3pm and it will be live on ITV4.
Heta overhauled Gian van Veen 10-8 in his sixth-round tie and Nathan Aspinall 10-9 earlier in the day.
He recovered from 8-4 down to sink 2019 winner Aspinall in a last-leg thriller, while he overturned a 7-3 deficit against Van Veen in the last 16, winning seven of the last eight legs to triumph.
The semi-finals at final take place tonight.
2024 Ladbrokes UK Open Quarter-Final draw, matches starting at 12.45pm on Sunday, March 3, 2024:
Stephen Bunting v Luke Humphries, 1pm
Ricky Evans v Rob Cross, 2pm
Damon Heta v Luke Littler, 3pm
Martin Lukeman v Dimitri Van Den Bergh, 4pm
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