Littler Clinches Premier League Victory with Nine-Dart Thriller
Luke Littler secured his third Premier League triumph of the season, punctuated by a nine-dart finish, in a compelling 6-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen. The 18-year-old ignited the Cardiff crowd with a perfect leg in the fourth, showcasing exceptional skill to fend off a determined Van Gerwen.
Nine-Dart Heroics in Cardiff
The world champion displayed remarkable form, hitting ten 180s and achieving a match average of 112.50, extending his Premier League lead to six points. Reflecting on his final dart in the nine-dart leg, reigning Premier League champion Littler commented, “I didn’t even realise the double 15 was in until Huw [Ware, the referee] shouted it.”
Littler revealed a recent strategic shift, stating, “I hit one two weeks ago at the Pro Tour, and I went the treble 17, double 15 route after missing double 12 numerous times last year. So I think that’s the new route to go for this year.”
Acknowledging the pressure after the nine-darter, Littler added, “You’ve seen players in the world championships hit the nine and falter in that game, so I had to focus after that. Michael won the subsequent two legs, but I managed to regain control.”
“It’s good to secure another nightly win, vital points, and to have a six-point advantage over Luke [Humphries] is a significant boost,” Littler concluded.
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High-Quality Matchup
In a contest of exceptional caliber, Van Gerwen also impressed, registering four maximums and a 101.41 average. Littler established an early advantage, breaking throw in the opening leg within 15 darts. Van Gerwen responded immediately, but Littler broke again in 12 darts, extending his lead with the nine-dart leg.
The seesaw nature of the match persisted as Van Gerwen leveled, aided by a bullseye finish. However, Littler countered and shifted gears after being drawn level at 4-4.
Semi-Final Showdowns
Earlier in the evening, Littler defeated Rob Cross 6-2 in the semi-finals after overcoming Nathan Aspinall 6-3 in a subdued quarter-final match. Van Gerwen reached his first Premier League final of the season by conquering Chris Dobey and Luke Humphries.
Van Gerwen’s Resilience
Dobey proved no match for Van Gerwen in their 6-2 semi-final encounter. However, the Dutchman demonstrated impressive resilience to overcome Humphries. Despite Humphries, the world number one, taking out 121 in the first leg and leading 3-0 and then 4-1, Van Gerwen turned the tide. He mounted a comeback with 10 and 11-dart legs, securing five consecutive legs to clinch victory.
Price Defeated at Home
Gerwyn Price’s home appearance ended in disappointment as Rob Cross silenced the Welsh crowd with a dramatic 6-5 win. “The Iceman” rallied to level after trailing 5-2, but Cross secured the win with a 170 checkout in the deciding leg, leaving Price waiting on a double. Stephen Bunting suffered a 6-2 quarter-final defeat to Dobey and remains at the bottom of the league table without any points.