LUKE Littler produced a staggering fightback to advance to the Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finals.
Warrington’s 17-year-old sensation stormed back from 8-4 down against in-form World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, even surviving a match dart to win a deciding leg.
In all, Littler won six of the last seven legs and his 38 per cent double success compared to the Belgian’s 26 per cent allowed him to advance.
“The Nuke” will face Holland’s Jermaine Wattimena on Saturday evening for a place in the semi-finals.
Having stormed through his group with minimal fuss, another regulation evening looked in store for Littler as he stretched into an early two-leg lead in the first-to-10 affair.
However, it soon became clear that De Decker in party-spoiling mood as he checked out 114 to break back in 12 darts before a regulation hold to level the match.
Littler held to lead at the first break, but “The Real Deal” then put his foot on the gas by winning six of the next seven legs.
At one point, De Decker’s average nudged above 116 and while Littler had his opportunities to respond in that time, he was being largely shut out by a ruthless showing from his opponent.
An 11-dart hold for the teenager steadied the ship, but he still needed a significant turnaround – and that is exactly what came.
A now-traditional Littler surge coupled with some wasteful De Decker finishing saw the deficit slowly eaten away to trail by just one at 8-7.
De Decker steadied things with a hold and then missed an attempt at bull for what would have been a spectacular 170 checkout for the match, allowing Littler to close up again before his attack of the De Decker throw produced a crucial break to send the match to a decider.
With the darts in the 19th and final leg, Littler came into his own and remained comfortably clear of his now beleaguered opponent, hitting double eight with his second match dart to seal a memorable victory.
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