LITTLER WINS AS BIG NAMES CRASH OUT

By Phil Lanning

LUKE LITTLER admitted he just got the “job done” after a low-key start to his Belgian Open defence. 

The teen sensation ground out a 6-3 win over Ryan Searle without getting out of third gear.

Littler, 18, won his first Euro Tour on his debut a year ago with a nine-darter in Wieze, but it wasn’t his usual powerhouse performance.

He said: “Practising leading into the game I was playing very well. But on stage it didn’t really happen for me or Ryan. 

“I’m just happy to get my first win here, settle in and come back tomorrow afternoon. 

“The first game you’ve just got to try and get through it and get the job done. Hopefully I can get through tomorrow afternoon. The crowd are good, same as last year. 

‘The Nuke’ now faces Luke Woodhouse for a place in the quarters. 

He added: “I’ve just got to play better than I did tonight. But I’m sure Luke will be up to the task and hopefully I’ll be up for it as well. May the best man win.”

Mike De Decker delighted his home crowd with a sensational defeat of Luke Humphries in Saturday’s second round, as Luke Littler began his title defence with victory.

De Decker will be the sole Belgian representative on the final day of the year’s opening European Tour event, after defeating Humphries 6-4.

The pair shared the opening six legs, with De Decker missing two darts to break in the seventh before regaining his composure to reel off the next three – including a key 122 finish – to reach the last 16.

De Decker said: “To beat the number one of the world in my home country is amazing.

“I’m just glad to get through but today was a big game and I’m really glad that I played well and I won.

“The fans are really supportive for all the Belgian players, so to reach the Sunday is an amazing feeling.”

De Decker’s third round opponent on Sunday afternoon will be Martin Schindler – who knocked out Belgian number one Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 in the last 32.

Schindler won a brace of European Tour event titles in 2024, and finished six doubles from 13 attempts to punish a below-par display from Van den Bergh.

Woodhouse took out finishes of 170, 124 and 110 during his 6-2 win over Gary Anderson to book his spot in the final day in Wieze.

Ross Smith and Gerwyn Price rose to the occasion at the Oktoberhallen with stand-out displays as they starred in Saturday’s second round.

Smith posted a tournament record average of 112.60 in a stunning 6-2 win over Rob Cross, missing just one dart at a double in a battle of the former European Champions.

Price, meanwhile, averaged 112.42 and finished six doubles from eight attempts as he retained an unbeaten record against World Youth Champion Gian van Veen with a 6-2 success.

The packed crowd serenaded Price with a rendition of “happy birthday” after the contest, and the Welshman said: “Because I’m 40 now, maybe double tops will be a bit better. I still feel 20 and look 21 so happy days!

“He’s a fantastic player and I know I need to play those sort of averages to win, so thankfully I pulled it out of the bag.”

Price’s third round opponent will be Australian number one Damon Heta, who whitewashed Michael Smith by hitting six doubles from 11 attempts.

Ross Smith, meanwhile, takes on Matt Campbell in round three after the Canadian raced into the final day with a 6-2 win over Peter Wright, following up Friday’s narrow defeat of Cameron Menzies by sending another Scot packing in Wieze.

Croatia’s Boris Krcmar enjoyed a memorable win over Michael van Gerwen, with a 6-4 victory against the three-time World Champion seeing the East Europe Qualifier reach the final day of a European Tour event for just the third time.

Krcmar now plays UK Open finalist James Wade, who held off Raymond van Barneveld’s fightback from 3-0 down before claiming a 6-4 win over the Dutchman.

Stephen Bunting enjoyed a welcome return to winning ways in Wieze, reeling off six consecutive legs from 3-0 adrift to dump out Jermaine Wattimena.

Bunting’s reward is a last 16 clash against Daryl Gurney, who produced a five-leg burst of his own to dispatch Danny Noppert 6-2 – avenging his defeat to the Dutchman at last weekend’s UK Open.

Winmau World Masters runner-up Jonny Clayton defied a hat-trick of 12-darters from Wessel Nijman to come through a last-leg decider, despite Nijman averaging 99 in defeat.

Clayton’s third round opponent will be Dirk van Duijvenbode, who also prevailed in a deciding leg after Chris Dobey spurned eight match darts in a dramatic conclusion to Saturday’s action.

2025 Lecot Belgian Darts Open

Saturday March 8

Second Round

Afternoon Session

Daryl Gurney 6-2 Danny Noppert

Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Gary Anderson

Dave Chisnall 6-3 Ricardo Pietreczko

Jonny Clayton 6-5 Wessel Nijman

Ross Smith 6-2 Rob Cross

Damon Heta 6-0 Michael Smith

Stephen Bunting 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena

Ritchie Edhouse 6-5 Nathan Aspinall

Evening Session

James Wade 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld

Matt Campbell 6-2 Peter Wright

Gerwyn Price 6-2 Gian van Veen

Martin Schindler 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Mike De Decker 6-4 Luke Humphries

Luke Littler 6-3 Ryan Searle

Boris Krcmar 6-4 Michael van Gerwen

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Chris Dobey

Sunday March 9

Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 GMT)

Third Round

Mike De Decker v Martin Schindler

Damon Heta v Gerwyn Price

Ross Smith v Matt Campbell

Stephen Bunting v Daryl Gurney

Luke Littler v Luke Woodhouse

Dave Chisnall v Ritchie Edhouse

Boris Krcmar v James Wade

Jonny Clayton v Dirk van Duijvenbode

Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final