Sporting Life
Luke Littler beat Andrew Gilding
Luke Littler beat Andrew Gilding

Darts results: Luke Littler beats Andrew Gilding to reach round three of the PDC World Darts Championship

By Sporting Life
Darts
Fri December 22, 2023 · 1y ago

Luke Littler's fairytale run at his debut Paddy Power World Darts Championship continued as he defeated Andrew Gilding to reach round three at the Ally Pally.

The 16-year-old wasn't quite as electrifying as he was the night before when he averaged 106 in becoming the youngest player ever to reach this stage of the competition, but he showed tremendous character to win three deciding legs against the UK Open champion as well as bouncing back from dropping the third set 3-0.

Littler averaged 92.65 compared to his opponent's 92.09 while he threw five of the match's six maximums to raise the roof once again.

“I am over the moon,” said the World Youth champion, a winner of five Winmau Development Tour titles in 2023. “I’m surprised it didn’t go to a last set, and that is what I was saying to myself - don’t let that happen.

“I was nervous, but somehow my doubles were going in. I could have wrapped it up earlier but I am just happy to get over the line.”

The victory for Littler means he will face Canada’s Matt Campbell for a place in the last 16, and he has now moved into fifth favourite for the title with tournament sponsors Paddy Power.

He added: “I’ve overachieved once again. I just wanted to come here to win and then to come back after Christmas, and I am doing that."

Voltage just about hot enough

Rob Cross defied a sluggish start to begin his title bid with a straight sets victory against French trailblazer Thibault Tricole.

Cross capitalised on a doubling horror-show from Tricole to claim a scrappy opening set without reply, and after converting a clinical 114 checkout to double his lead, Cross completed another clean sweep in set three to seal his progress.

"I'm not very happy with my performance, but a win is a win," reflected Cross, one of six former champions left in the tournament.

"I was more nervous than I've ever been on this stage. I got so enthused with the crowd that I lost my focus, but I'm very grateful to be through.

"I'm looking forward to Christmas now, and hopefully I can be a different animal when I come back."

Noppie sent tumbling

The shock of the night came from Scott Williams, as he beat seventh seed Danny Noppert in straight sets.

Williams nearly sent Alexandra Palace into pandemonium in the second set as he wired double-18 for an incredible nine-dart leg, which saw him attempt an unconventional T16-T19-D18 combination finish to seal it.

Noppert started brightly with a 170 checkout in the opening leg, but from there his double hitting let him down compared to Williams’ superior finishing, which saw him win the first two sets in a deciding leg, before taking the third set 3-1.

Gabriel Clemens - a semi-finalist in the 2022/23 tournament - made a positive start to his campaign as he charged past Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung 3-1.

It wasn’t always vintage from Clemens, who has suffered a tough 12 months in TV events, but a strong doubling display saw him progress.

He raced into a 2-0 lead, sealing the first set with a match-high 140 finish, before doubling his lead with a delightful 120 checkout in a second-set decider.

Leung bounced back by taking the third set in three straight legs, but Clemens returned the favour in the fourth to delight the strong German contingent inside Alexandra Palace.

Elsewhere, Damon Heta rounded off the evening with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Martin Lukeman.

The charismatic Aussie - nicknamed The Heat - brought his usual antics to the walk-on as he entered the stage wearing a foam ’flames’ hat.

An attritional opening set from Heta saw him take it 3-2, and he won the next three legs to move into a 2-0 lead.

Lukeman fought back in the third, but Heta quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback by clinching the fourth set without reply.

Elsewhere, Madars Razma will play World Champion Michael Smith for a place in the last 16, after breaking new ground at Alexandra Palace with a hard-fought 3-1 win against Mike De Decker.

The Latvian produced a trio of 15-darters to strike the first blow, and while De Decker responded to level, Razma won the next two sets in last-leg shoot-outs to reach round three for the first time in his career.

Thursday's action also saw the first round draw to a close in the capital, as Berry van Peer celebrated victory on debut with a deciding-set success against Luke Woodhouse.

Van Peer - who secured top spot on the 2023 Challenge Tour Order of Merit - defied six 180s from Woodhouse to triumph in a rollercoaster affair, which sets up a second round clash against Northern Ireland's number one Josh Rock.

World Darts Championship 2024: Thursday results & Friday schedule

Thursday December 21
Afternoon Session (12.30pm GMT)
First/Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

  • Mickey Mansell 3-0 Xiaochen Zong (R1)
  • Luke Woodhouse 2-3 Berry van Peer (R1)
  • Madars Razma 3-1 Mike De Decker (R2)
  • Rob Cross 3-0 Thibault Tricole (R2)

Evening Session (7pm GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

  • Andrew Gilding 1-3 Luke Littler
  • Danny Noppert 0-3 Scott Williams
  • Gabriel Clemens 3-1 Man Lok Leung
  • Damon Heta 3-1 Martin Lukeman

Friday December 22
Afternoon Session (12.30pm GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

  • Brendan Dolan v Mickey Mansell
  • Jose de Sousa v Jeffrey De Graaf
  • Krzysztof Ratajski v Jamie Hughes
  • Dirk van Duijvenbode v Boris Krcmar

Evening Session (7pm GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

  • Dimitri Van den Bergh v Florian Hempel
  • Martin Schindler v Jermaine Wattimena
  • Raymond van Barneveld v Radek Szaganski
  • Chris Dobey v William O’Connor

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