Littler in a class of his own as Van Gerwen marches on at Belgian Open

[p]Chasing a third successive title in Belgium, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/littler-luke/0URN6Xks/"]Littler[/a] brushed aside Croatia’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krcmar-boris/8dE1sqo4/"]Boris Krcmar[/a] 6-2, racing into a four-leg lead with an average beyond 115 before closing out the contest at 104.7.[/p][p][b]“I love it here,”[/b] said Littler, who also landed six 180s en route to his victory.[/p][p][b]“My first European Tour event was here. I want to win it again, and performances like that will put me up there.[/b][/p][p][b]“Coming off the back of that (Premier League) win in Ireland, it’s set me up well, and I can’t wait to go again tomorrow.”[/b][/p][embed guid="ba3bfeef-5e91-454e-82ff-0e4ee92ccd9d" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2035454387678568734?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/humphries-luke/n34VOAWo/"]Luke Humphries[/a], the world number two, fended off a spirited rally by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-duijvenbode-dirk/fVUrttSI/"]Dirk van Duijvenbode[/a] to complete a 6-4 win. Humphries’ finishing proved decisive, landing six doubles from 12 attempts to maintain his progress. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]Michael van Gerwen[/a] ensured further heavyweight presence in the latter stages, overcoming [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mansell-mickey/YwMlpo1o/"]Mickey Mansell[/a] by the same scoreline. Mansell, who had impressed in round one, pushed the Dutchman throughout, but a clinical 114 checkout at a critical juncture tilted the balance.[/p][p]There was mixed fortune for the home contingent, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baetens-andy/MyBiqYq2/"]Andy Baetens[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huybrechts-kim/OQVnQ1fc/"]Kim Huybrechts[/a] both rose to the occasion, producing composed 6-4 victories over Premier League regulars [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rock-josh/xKxxNY1P/"]Josh Rock[/a], respectively.[/p][p]Huybrechts’ win was particularly notable, reeling off four consecutive legs from 4-2 down to deny the Northern Irishman.[/p][embed guid="7ee23a73-d4fb-4477-b55e-0127f059ba31" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2035479532023456213?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Belgium’s leading light [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-decker-mike/ARzd8nfD/"]Mike De Decker[/a], however, fell just short of joining them, surrendering a 5-3 advantage to the Netherlands’ [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zonneveld-niels/MeTrr5Fk/"]Niels Zonneveld[/a], who held his nerve in the closing stages to set up a meeting with Littler.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noppert-danny/YmMfGEz0/"]Danny Noppert[/a] delivered arguably the performance of the day, averaging 106.17 and firing in three 11-darters to dispatch [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodhouse-luke/QyQzAjPh/"]Luke Woodhouse[/a] 6-3. He now faces [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/searle-ryan/UFF3Eh5C/"]Ryan Searle[/a], who edged past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/evans-ricky/GA3fKcWh/"]Ricky Evans[/a] in a deciding leg, sealing victory with a nerveless 122 finish.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dobey-chris/dWj1FjDn/"]Chris Dobey[/a]’s pursuit of a first European Tour title gathered pace with a 6–3 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chisnall-dave/vRDFv29c/"]Dave Chisnall[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joyce-ryan/tYs5VMm6/"]Ryan Joyce[/a] continued his run by overcoming [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aspinall-nathan/KURJJrU5/"]Nathan Aspinall[/a] by the same margin to book a meeting with Spain’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reyes-cristo/Wd5006ea/"]Cristo Reyes[/a].[/p][p]Reyes, in turn, accounted for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wade-james/MRrXjBAB/"]James Wade[/a] with surprising ease, the ten-time TV title winner unable to match the Spaniard’s scoring power in a 6-2 defeat.[/p][p]Elsewhere, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gurney-daryl/UBbHHv2p/"]Daryl Gurney[/a] marked a milestone weekend fittingly, defeating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heta-damon/GYfQQCI6/"]Damon Heta[/a] to secure his first career win over the Australian and set up a meeting with Van Gerwen on his 40th birthday.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wattimena-jermaine/0hcDtau6/"]Jermaine Wattimena[/a] also progressed, recovering from a sluggish start to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meikle-ryan/CnLj2BoR/"]Ryan Meikle[/a] and arrange a clash with Humphries, while Germany’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schindler-martin/pWemrnqQ/"]Martin Schindler[/a] saw off Ireland’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bolton-alan/OGfnxZrg/"]William O’Connor to earn a tie against Baetens.[/a][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clayton-jonny/tx0y2xRD/"]Jonny Clayton[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-ross/l8mIsYNm/"]Ross Smith[/a] complete the last-16 line-up following hard-fought victories.[/p][h2]Results[/h2][p][b]Afternoon session[/b][/p][p]Ross Smith 6-4 Cameron Menzies[/p][p]Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Ryan Meikle[/p][p]Chris Dobey 6-3 Dave Chisnall[/p][p]Ryan Searle 6-5 Ricky Evans[/p][p]Martin Schindler 6-3 William O'Connor[/p][p]Daryl Gurney 6-3 Damon Heta[/p][p]Danny Noppert 6-3 Luke Woodhouse[/p][p]Ryan Joyce 6-3 Nathan Aspinall[/p][p][b]Evening session[/b][/p][p]Cristo Reyes 6-2 James Wade[/p][p]Jonny Clayton 6-3 Sebastian Bialecki[/p][p]Andy Baetens 6-4 Stephen Bunting[/p][p]Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Mike De Decker[/p][p]Luke Littler 6-2 Boris Krcmar[/p][p]Luke Humphries 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode[/p][p]Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Mickey Mansell[/p][p]Kim Huybrechts 6-4 Josh Rock[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/darts/europe/european-tour-3/"]Follow the Belgian Open with Flashscore[/a][/h2]