LUKE 'The Nuke' Littler is through to the Belgian Darts Open final on his European Tour debut.

It follows his 7-3 defeat of German champion Ricardo Pietreczko in the semi-finals at the Oktoberhallen in Wieze.

The Warrington 17-year-old will face a World Darts Championship semi-final rematch with fellow Premier League star Rob Cross, who came through his semi-final with Gerwyn Price by the same scoreline.

'The Nuke' broke Pietreczko in the opening leg with a 12-darter and looked comfortable at 3-1 but the German showed some steel and fought back to level matters.

The seventh and eighth legs were then won in the same way, leaving 65 and checking out on double 10 in 14 darts.

Littler broke Pietreczko again in 12 darts and then held his throw to complete the mission.

Earlier in tonight's quarter-finals, the Warrington 17-year-old thrashed Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 in this evening's quarter-final.

He averaged 110.6 and never looked in danger of losing from the point of breaking Wattimena in the opening leg in 14 darts.

His 160 finish to hold throw for 2-0 was sumptuous, nailing treble 20 twice and then double tops.

The Dutchman, the lowest ranked competitor left in the competition, rescued a leg but six perfect arrows to start the fourth brought an 11-dart win for 'The Nuke'.

Three successive 140 scores in another 11-darter made it 4-1, then he was out in 14 darts to hold in the next one.

Wattimena managed to hold his throw with Littler breathing down his neck left with 40.

Each player missed three doubles before Littler wrapped up the eighth and final leg.

A first prize of £30,000 and the first European Tour title of the year is up for grabs.

Matches can be watched on Viaplay or PDC TV.

Earlier today, it must have felt good for Littler when he defeated Australian number one Damon Heta 6-3 in the last 16.

For Littler, it was some revenge for being knocked out of the UK Open in Minehead by Heta last weekend in one of the greatest TV games in memory.

The averages never got close to what both men served up seven days ago but ‘The Nuke’ dropped a bomb in the seventh leg.

He broke Heta for the second time, doing so in 11 darts for a 4-3 lead and then held his own throw in the next leg to take charge.

The Australian did have a shot at breaking Littler in the eighth but two missed doubles cost him dearly.

‘The Nuke’ ended the game in some style with a 137 finish, established with treble 19 and then two successful arrows at double tops.

Littler and Heta broke each other’s throws in the opening two legs, the Aussie responding to Littler’s opening salvo with an 81 finish to an 11-dart leg.

A big fish 170 finish was on the cards for Littler in the sixth leg but after hitting treble 20 twice he showed his game maturity when he decided against the bull and nailed the 10 to leave himself double 20 on the next visit knowing that Heta was not on a finish.