Littler Dominates to Reach Last Eight

Defending champion Luke Littler continues his march toward potentially becoming world number one, following a commanding 10-4 victory over Wessel Nijman in the last 16 of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

Littler, who won the PDC World Championship earlier this year in January, raced into a 5-0 lead before his Dutch opponent registered a leg on the board. Nijman managed to reduce the deficit to 6-3 but missed crucial chances to narrow the gap further, allowing Littler to extend his lead to 7-3.

The world champion ultimately secured a 10-4 win, finishing with a tournament average of 105.38, and will face Josh Rock in the quarter-finals.

“I have my eyes on everything,” Littler told Sky Sports. “The title, world number one—if I get to the final I’m world number one—but we’ve just got to take it game by game.”

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Van Gerwen Shocked by Noppert

Three-time Grand Slam champion Michael van Gerwen suffered an early exit at the hands of fellow Dutchman Danny Noppert, losing 10-6. The match started explosively, with both players hitting 170 checkouts in the first and third legs respectively.

Van Gerwen found himself chasing for most of the match, managing to stay within range, but Noppert pulled away with three consecutive legs to move 9-5 ahead before sealing the win.

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Josh Rock Survives Narrow Contest

Josh Rock, who captured the World Cup of Darts for Northern Ireland alongside Daryl Gurney in June, narrowly overcame Connor Scutt 10-9. Rock had early leads of 3-0 and 8-5, but Scutt fought back to force a decider. With the throw, Rock clinched the match to advance to the last eight.

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Lukas Wenig Triumphs in All-German Clash

In an all-German encounter, Lukas Wenig defeated Niko Springer 10-8 in a closely fought contest, rounding out Thursday’s action in the Grand Slam last 16.

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Thursday’s Key Results

• Luke Littler 10-4 Wessel Nijman
• Danny Noppert 10-6 Michael van Gerwen
• Josh Rock 10-9 Connor Scutt
• Lukas Wenig 10-8 Niko Springer

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Quarter-Final Outlook

With Littler, Rock, Noppert, and Wenig progressing to the Grand Slam quarter-finals, the stage is set for exciting clashes as players vie for the prestigious PDC title. Littler’s form, in particular, marks him as a favorite to not only defend his crown but also claim the world number one ranking if he reaches the final.