Littler Lights Up Evening Session
Luke Littler produced a performance of supreme quality to advance to the quarter-finals of the European Championship, dispatching Nathan Aspinall 10-5 with a remarkable 114.45 average. The world champion is on a self-confessed crusade to win the one premier title that has so far eluded him, and on the evidence of his display in Dortmund, he is the emphatic favourite to do so.
The teenager began in blistering fashion, averaging over 130 as he surged into a 4-0 lead with a display of unstoppable scoring power. While Aspinall, as is his nature, battled hard to gain a foothold in the contest, he was ultimately overpowered by the relentless standard set by his opponent. Littler’s performance was not just about raw scoring; it was a controlled and mature showing in a longer format, a point he acknowledged afterwards.
“Sometimes, when it’s a longer format, I could go back to the old Luke Littler and start throwing really fast. But yeah, I just kept it together and got the job done,” he commented. Such was the reception from the German crowd that Littler also hinted he may reconsider his decision not to play on the European Tour in the country next season. His irresistible form has cemented his status as the man to beat, a view reflected across every darts betting guide ahead of finals day.
Elsewhere in the evening’s second-round action, Jonny Clayton booked his place in the last eight but was made to work for it, surviving a late fightback from Josh Rock before sealing a 10-8 victory. Krzysztof Ratajski also progressed after edging out Kevin Doets in a thrilling encounter. The defeat for Doets ended his campaign, which had begun with a notable first-round win over a struggling Michael van Gerwen on Friday night.
The final match of the day saw Martin Schindler delight the home support with a clinical and convincing victory over Jermaine Wattimena. Having entered previous tournaments as a high seed only to fall early, Schindler secured his spot this year as the 31st qualifier. Now, with expectations lower, he finds himself in his first European Championship quarter-final.
Defending Champion Van Veen Exits
The afternoon session saw the tournament lose its reigning champion, as Gian van Veen was defeated 10-6 by Luke Woodhouse. The Dutchman was unable to replicate the form that took him to the title twelve months ago, falling to a determined Woodhouse who is enjoying another strong run in Dortmund after reaching the semi-finals in 2024. The Englishman established a narrow 3-2 lead in a tight opening session before pressing his advantage to secure a significant victory.
The other matches in the afternoon saw impressive wins for both Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting, who also secured their places in Sunday’s quarter-final line-up, completing the first half of the second-round ties.
The elimination of Van Veen in the afternoon, followed by the defeats of Doets and Wattimena in the evening, means that for the first time since 2018, no Dutch player will feature in the quarter-finals of the European Championship. The eight remaining players will return on Sunday for the conclusion of the tournament, with the quarter-final draw confirming that Luke Littler will take on Krzysztof Ratajski for a place in the semi-finals.
