Defending champion Luke Littler overcame a hostile Alexandra Palace crowd to defeat former world champion Rob Cross and book his place in the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship. Despite being booed throughout the match and again after the final dart, the 18-year-old produced a high-quality performance to secure a 4–2 victory and keep his title defence alive.

Littler averaged 106.58, the third-highest average of the tournament so far, in what proved to be one of the most intense and emotionally charged matches of this year’s competition. The Ally Pally crowd largely backed Cross, the 2018 world champion, hoping for a classic contest and a potential upset.

Littler Responds to Crowd Pressure with Elite Performance

The world number one appeared visibly frustrated during the early stages, especially after Cross levelled the match at 1–1. However, Littler responded emphatically in the third set, producing one of the most dominant passages of play seen at this year’s championships.

He averaged a remarkable 125.25 in that set, finishing legs in 13, 11 and 12 darts while converting three of his four checkout attempts. The surge in scoring and clinical finishing swung the momentum firmly back in Littler’s favour.

Littler went on to take the fourth set and looked to be cruising towards victory before Cross extended the match by claiming the fifth set. The highlight of that set came when Cross produced a sensational 126 checkout, finishing on the bullseye to keep his hopes alive.

Late Push from Cross Not Enough

Cross, seeded 17th and seeking to rediscover past form after a recent dip, showed resilience in the sixth set by breaking Littler in the third leg. But the defending champion immediately broke back, raising his level once more and averaging 117 in the decisive moments to close out the match.

The win sends Littler into the last eight, where he will face either Luke Woodhouse or Krzysztof Ratajski on New Year’s Day.

Littler Reacts to Booing Crowd

Speaking after the match, Littler dismissed the hostile reception and delivered a pointed response to those who had backed against him.

“I’m not bothered by the booing. You pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money, so thanks for booing me,” Littler told Sky Sports.

“No-one wanted me to win, but I proved them wrong again. It’s not in reach just yet. You’ve got to get to the final.”

The teenager added that he would enjoy a short break before returning to action, once again spending New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in London.

Ryan Searle Reaches Quarter-Finals in Dominant Fashion

Elsewhere at Alexandra Palace, Ryan Searle continued his outstanding run by reaching the PDC World Championship quarter-finals for the first time with a commanding 4–0 win over Ryan Hurrell.

The 20th seed has yet to drop a set in this year’s tournament and has lost only 11 legs so far. He will face either Jonny Clayton or Andreas Harrysson in the last eight.

Aspinall Falls as Manby’s Dream Run Continues

Former semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall became the latest seed to exit the tournament, losing a dramatic 4–3 final-set decider to Kevin Doets of the Netherlands. Despite producing a brilliant 170 checkout to win the fifth set, Aspinall was unable to halt Doets’ momentum, with the Dutchman winning six consecutive legs to seal victory.

Doets will now face world number two Luke Humphries in the last 16.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old debutant Charlie Manby continued his fairytale run by defeating Ricky Evans 4–2. Despite early struggles on the doubles, Manby’s scoring power proved decisive as he secured at least £60,000 in prize money and a place in the fourth round, where he will face 10th seed Gian van Veen.

More Breakthroughs and Emotional Moments

Another debutant, Justin Hood, also progressed after a 4–1 win over Ryan Meikle, guaranteeing himself a significant rise in the world rankings. Hood later revealed ambitions beyond darts, admitting he still dreams of opening a Chinese restaurant in the future.

Josh Rock completed the final third-round tie with a 4–2 victory over Callan Rydz, who played under emotional circumstances following the recent death of his grandfather.

As the tournament moves into its decisive stages, the drama both on and off the oche continues to underline why the PDC World Darts Championship remains one of sport’s most compelling spectacles.