Luke Littler avenged his quarter-final defeat to Damon Heta at March’s UK Open in style, averaging 106 as he scorched ‘The Heat’ to reach the last 16 of the NEO.bet Austrian Darts Open.
Littler was beaten 10-8 by Heta in a high-quality match in Minehead last month but won 6-2 in Graz on Saturday to secure a third-round meeting with Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski on Sunday afternoon.
The teenager – who collected his third nightly victory of the Premier League season in Liverpool on Thursday – could face Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals in Austria, with the quarter-finals onwards to be contested on Sunday night.
Michael van Gerwen is safely through to the final day of the tournament in Graz
Van Gerwen dispatched fellow Dutchman Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-1 in the second round and next faces Peter Wright after his fellow former world champion edged past American Danny Lauby 6-5.
Elsewhere, there were victories for Jonny Clayton – who thumped Chris Dobey 6-1 – Danny Noppert, Joe Cullen, Dave Chisnall and Ritchie Edhouse, but Rob Cross lost 6-4 to Daryl Gurney.
Ross Smith pipped Raymond van Barneveld in a last-leg shootout by firing in a 12-darter in the decider, with the Englishman averaging nigh on 106 during his nail-biting triumph over the Dutchman.
Stephen Bunting pinned two 170 finishes while beating Richard Veenstra 6-5
Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock and Gian van Veen also went all the way before beating Richard Veenstra, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Ryan Searle respectively – Bunting pinning two 170 finishes during his win.
Martin Schindler, who won his first PDC title at the International Darts Open earlier this month when he beat Gerwyn Price in the final, swept fellow German Ricardo Pietreczko 6-0.
Another German, Daniel Klose, also advanced as he defeated former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding 6-2, having come into the tournament as a replacement for Price (trapped nerve in his back).
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Littler tested his football skills, alongside online content creator Pieface23, with a near perfect crossbar challenge!
Austrian Darts Open – Saturday’s second-round results
Afternoon session
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Dom Taylor
Danny Noppert 6-3 Wessel Nijman
Ritchie Edhouse 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Richard Veenstra
Gian van Veen 6-5 Ryan Searle
Joe Cullen 6-3 Darius Labanauskas
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Rob Cross
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Brendan Dolan
Evening session
Martin Schindler 6-0 Ricardo Pietreczko
Daniel Klose 6-2 Andrew Gilding
Ross Smith 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld
Josh Rock 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael van Gerwen 6-1Jeffrey de Zwaan
Peter Wright 6-5 Danny Lauby
Jonny Clayton 6-1 Chris Dobey
Luke Littler 6-2 Damon Heta
Austrian Darts Open – Sunday’s third-round matches
Dave Chisnall vs Joe Cullen
Ritchie Edhouse vs Gian van Veen
Daryl Gurney vs Stephen Bunting
Martin Schindler vs Jonny Clayton
Krzysztof Ratajski vs Luke Littler
Danny Noppert vs Josh Rock
Daniel Klose vs Ross Smith
Michael van Gerwen vs Peter Wright
Watch Night 14 of Premier League Darts, in Aberdeen, live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm on Thursday May 2 or stream with NOW.
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