Littler Edges Van Gerwen 6-3 in Thrilling Dutch Darts Masters Clash

Luke Littler secured a 6-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in the Dutch Darts Masters, their first meeting since the 2024 World Championship final.

Teenage sensation Luke Littler secured a thrilling 6-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in their highly anticipated matchup at the Dutch Darts Masters. This encounter marked the first meeting between the two darts giants since the 2024 World Championship final, where Littler emerged victorious to claim his maiden world title.

Following his World Championship triumph, Littler suffered a setback in the Bahrain Darts Masters, where he was knocked out in the quarter-finals. Notably, Michael van Gerwen opted not to participate in that tournament. However, their paths crossed again in the Dutch Darts Masters, where Littler advanced to the quarter-finals after a 6-4 comeback win against Dimitri Van den Bergh. Van Gerwen, on the other hand, confidently defeated fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 in the preceding match.

Littler made a blistering start to the match, winning the first three legs with ease. He showcased his impressive finishing skills, checking out from 40, 20, and 26 to establish a commanding 3-0 lead. This strong beginning set the tone for Littler's eventual 6-3 victory over the experienced Van Gerwen.

Van Gerwen, also known as the Green Machine, staged a remarkable comeback, landing finishes from 61, 40, and 91 to level the score and energize the home crowd. However, Littler, nicknamed the Nuke, once again demonstrated his ability to shift gears, winning the final three legs in succession and leaving his opponent reeling for the second consecutive match.

Came down to the wire in the semis against @sbunting180 and just missed out on another final but great darts from both of us🤝🏼 thanks to everyone who came to support in den bosch❤️ world masters next up💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/g3R1XkBawM

— Luke Littler (@LukeTheNuke180) January 26, 2025

Littler's performance was marked by an impressive 7 maximum 180s, but he struggled with his checkout percentage, converting only 6 out of 23 attempts for a success rate of 26.09%. Neither player achieved an average of 95, with Littler finishing at 94.85 and Van Gerwen at 90.26. This lackluster performance stood in contrast to their previous encounter in last year's final, where both players boasted averages exceeding 100.