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Luke Littler beat Mensur Suljovic with a 4-0 third round victory as Stephen Bunting was knocked out of the World Darts Championship by James Hurrell.
Littler lost just three rounds en route to the tournament’s second-highest average of 107.09, just behind Gian van Veen’s 108.28, and sent a warning to the rest of the field.
World number 1 Littler will face Damon Heta or Rob Cross in the fourth round and show why many believe he will become the first player since Gary Anderson 10 years ago to defend his title.
“I’m very happy. The finish was good. I don’t think I’ve seen 71 percent (checkout percentage) in my career at PDC,” Littler said. Aerial sports.
“I’m happy with that. I felt so comfortable tonight. At his pace, I got into a rhythm that suited him. It was a little slower than usual but it worked.
“It’s the best I’ve felt this year or even last year or in the previous tournament. It’s the most I could settle. It shows in the average, in the finish at the checkouts over a ton.”
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Mensur Suljovic got the crowd moving as Luke Littler missed his double then capitalized and took the leg!
Littler immediately adapted to the slow play of Suljovic, who had annoyed Joe Cullen in the previous round, by breaking his opponent twice and winning the first set with a spectacular 11-darter.
This form continued into the second set as he averaged 108 and left Suljovic wondering what he could do. The Austrian had his moment in the third as he mobilized the crowd before his first double darts to break Littler’s throw.
The next two rounds were split, so the set went to a decider which Littler won with a check-out of 124 – his highest of the match. He continued this dominance in the fourth set, with a score of 114, and has yet to lose a set at Alexandra Palace this tournament.
“It’s another round and I’ll be back in a few days,” Littler said.
“The first year was an absolute privilege to be here, to play darts and I reached the final. Last year it was different. This year you are the defending champion and world number 1 and the pressure is on you. Tonight there was no pressure or nerves and I am happy with the result.”
Bunting knocked out by Hurrell
World number 4 Bunting became the highest seed at this year’s tournament after being stunned 4-3 by Hurrell.
Hurrell was by far the better player throughout the match and could have blanked Bunting if not for two superb checkouts of 161 and 121 in the deciding matches at the end of the second and third sets.
Bunting, who appeared to be suffering from a cold, was down 2-0 in the legs in this second set, but showed his fighting qualities to lead 2-1 in the sets.
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Stephen Bunting makes superb 161 to level score against James Hurrell
Hurrell won five of the next six matches, however, to take an early 3-2 lead as Bunting’s score fell. He pitched for the match in the sixth set, but a bad leg allowed Bunting to take the match to a deciding set with a 14-darter.
But Hurrell broke Bunting’s throw in the second leg of the final set and kept his composure the second time asking with another 14 dart to book a place in the round of 16 against Germany’s Martin Schindler or England’s Ryan Searle.
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James Hurrell beats Stephen Bunting to reach the last 16 of the World Darts Championships
“Absolutely incredible. Biggest win of my career,” said Hurrell, making only his second appearance at Alexandra Palace.
“I knew where my game was coming in. I just need to sort out my doubles a little bit.
“Stephen was celebrating like he won the game [at times] and I worked on that. I felt that when he handed the big prize over to his family and friends, I was very happy about it.”
Clayton and Ratajski win Ally Pally crackers while Woodhouse impresses
Johnny Clayton averaged 98.44, hit 11 maximums and hit 47 percent (14 of 30) of his doubles to edge dangerous Dutchman Niels Zonneveld 4-3.
Clayton said. Aerial sports: “It was 1-0 then 1-1, 2-1 then 2-2, I was thinking ‘Niels, please let me win this, please’.
“I follow all the results, I’ve seen another one leave and another one leave, so it’s lucky. It gives me hope that I can do it. I feel good every time I go on stage.
“There were a lot of loose darts. I need to get rid of them. The more double visits I have, it gives me more chances.”
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Andreas Harrysson checks 146 to help him take on Ricardo Pietreczko at Alexandra Palace.
Clayton will face the Swedish debutant Andreas Harrysson as he continued to impress in his 4-2 win over Ricardo Pietreczko.
Krzysztof Ratajski came back from 3-1 down to edge Gerwyn Price’s winner, Wesley Plaisier, with the Dutchman wasting three match darts.
“The Polish Eagle” averaged 98, hit six 180s and landed four stunning checkouts – 152, 127, 117 and a stunning 116 to seal the deal.
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Krzysztof Ratajski scores 116 to beat Wesley Plaisier after being down 3-1 in sets!
Towering Dutchman Plaisier stunned the darts world with his limelight triumph over ninth seed Price, with the Welshman previously seen as a leading candidate to win the Sid Waddell Trophy.
But Ratajski produced a fine finish and the second 10-dart leg of the tournament to record a superb successful comeback.
Ratajski will return to the round of 16 for the second time in his career, where he will face Luc Woodhousewho crushed former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding 4-1.
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