World Darts Championship: Luke Littler beats Ian White as Michael van Gerwen, Chris Dobey win on the Alexandra Palace

Luke Littler is thru to the fourth spherical of the World Darts Championship after overcoming one other robust take a look at to defeat Ian White 4-1 on the Alexandra Palace.

The pre-tournament favorite got here by means of a decent opening set however misplaced the second to White, who missed darts to win three of the primary 4 units and threaten a well-known upset in opposition to the fourth seed.

Littler raced by means of the third set in simply 39 darts and punished a missed set dart from White to wrap up the fourth with a 70 checkout, then broke White within the subsequent earlier than closing out victory with a 14-darter.

Littler posted a 97.84 common and 12 maximums in opposition to White, with the 17-year-old avoiding a repeat of the feelings seen in his second-round win in opposition to Ryan Meikle and reserving a last-16 assembly with Ryan Joyce on Monday.

Extra to comply with…

MVG sees off Dolan as Dobey marches on

Van Gerwen appeared on target to take the opening set when he claimed a break of throw within the third leg, just for Dolan to fireplace back-to-back 15-darters – together with an 86 end on the bullseye – to seize a shock lead.

The Dutchman got here by means of a scrappy 21-dart leg – regardless of lacking seven darts at double – however wrapped up the second in emphatic vogue within the subsequent leg, firing in a 129 checkout for a 12-dart break, earlier than shortly taking management of the competition.

Van Gerwen received eight consecutive legs – together with an excellent 149 checkout firstly of the fourth – to win the subsequent two units in straight legs, just for Dolan to capitalise on wayward ending from the three-time world champion to interrupt and declare a set again within the fifth.

Dolan produced an excellent 123 checkout on the bullseye and missed a dart within the subsequent leg to take the competition to a final-set decider, as Van Gerwen survived to carry throw and safe his spot within the subsequent spherical.

“It was really hard, a really difficult game,” Van Gerwen instructed Sky Sports activities. “I tried to punish him at the right moments and I wasn’t capable of doing it. I can only blame myself for that. I’m so glad that D8 went in at the end.”

The opening match of the night additionally produced a decent encounter, the place Dobey got here from 2-1 down to assert a 4-2 victory over Rock and ebook a last-16 assembly in opposition to both Kevin Doets or Krzysztof Ratajski.

Dobey responded to shedding the third set by cruising by means of the fourth in straight legs and survived Rock lacking a set dart within the fifth to edge a final-leg decider, earlier than signing off victory with an excellent double-double end on the 19s and 96 checkout.

Afternoon round-up: Aspinall breezes into last-16

Nathan Aspinall cruised by means of to the final 16 for the primary time in 5 years after thrashing Andrew Gilding in straight units, setting him up with a gathering in opposition to Ricardo Pietreczko on Monday.

Aspinall broke Gilding twice within the opening set and got here by means of final-leg deciders to win the subsequent two, earlier than closing out a powerful win – the place he registered a 92.17 common and was medical on the doubles – by taking out tops for a 14-dart break.

“I’m glad I could finish,” Aspinall instructed Sky Sports activities. “Normally I’m really bad at finishing, that’s normally why I lose. Normally my scoring’s not there. The last two games I’ve played, I’ve finished really well, not scored great.”

Pietreczko continued his spectacular World Championship by brushing apart final yr’s semi-finalist Scott Williams, successful each the primary two units and racing by means of the fourth in straight legs earlier than wrapping up a 4-1 victory with a surprising 121 checkout on the bullseye.

The opposite match of the session went to a final-set decider, with Joyce squandering a two-set lead in opposition to Ryan Searle earlier than recovering to edge by means of to the fourth spherical for the primary time since 2019.

“It was just a really tough match,” Joyce instructed Sky Sports activities. “I tried everything in the end to get through and I’m so pleased that I managed to find something in the tank in that last set.”

What’s developing subsequent?

The third spherical concludes on Sunday, with Dimitri van den Bergh headlining the afternoon session in opposition to Callan Rydz after Kevin Doets faces Krzysztof Ratajski and Jeffrey de Graff performs Paolo Nebrida.

Ricky Evans takes on Robert Owen to open the night session, the ultimate last-32 match of the event, earlier than the fourth spherical begins later that night with an all-Welsh showdown between Jonny Clayton and former world champion Gerwyn Worth.

Defending champion Luke Humphries then faces two-time world champion within the closing match of the night time, with the remaining six fourth-round matches being performed on Monday earlier than the quarter-finals happen – throughout two classes – on New Yr’s Day.

Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match solely dwell till January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel. Stream darts and extra prime sport with NOW.