LITTLER EDGES OUT DE DECKER IN GRAND SLAM EPIC IN WOLVERHAMPTON
Luke Littler produced a sensational comeback to edge past Mike De Decker in a Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts classic on Thursday evening, as Gary Anderson, Gian van Veen and Jermaine Wattimena also reached the last eight in Wolverhampton.
Day Six of the prestigious £650,000 event saw the second round conclude at WV Active Aldersley, with Littler, Anderson, Van Veen and Wattimena progressing on a high-quality night of action.
However, Littler stole the headlines after recovering from 8-4 down to deny De Decker, producing back-to-back 12-darters in the closing stages to come through a breathless last-leg shoot-out.
World Grand Prix champion De Decker looked poised to celebrate another major scalp on the big stage after establishing a four-leg cushion, only for Littler to win six of the last seven legs to complete a famous comeback.
The Belgian missed a match dart at the bull for a 170 clincher and a 10-7 victory, although he wasn’t afforded another opportunity as Littler unleashed a blistering late barrage to keep his title hopes alive.
“It’s up there with one of the best games I’ve been involved in,” admitted Littler, who averaged 103.48 to De Decker’s 104.49.
“Obviously my favourite is the Premier League final, but that was some game, and to pick myself up from four legs down just goes to show what I can do.
“Mike played his part in a brilliant game, but I’m really happy to advance to the quarter-finals.”
Two-time Grand Slam runner-up Anderson endured no such drama in his 10-6 success against 2023 semi-finalist Bunting, producing four ton-plus finishes to continue his pursuit of the Eric Bristow Trophy.
The opening four legs of the contest were shared before Anderson rattled off six legs without reply to storm into an 8-2 lead, aided by clinical 114 and 120 checkouts.
Bunting stopped the rot with a run of three straight legs to threaten a late revival, but Anderson restored control with a sublime 138 outshot to lead 9-5, before wrapping up victory with a 103 kill.
“The game felt scrappy – it was a struggle,” reflected Anderson, who will feature in his tenth Grand Slam quarter-final on Saturday.
“Stephen missed a lot of doubles at the start of the game, but I managed to pinch it at the end!
“I think I needed that 138 [checkout] to give me a bit of a boost, but I’m over the moon to be through.”
Anderson’s reward is a blockbuster quarter-final showdown against Gian van Veen, who dispatched Ryan Joyce 10-2 to maintain his scintillating form in Wolverhampton.
Van Veen registered a record-breaking tournament average of 108.89 in the group phase, and the Dutchman put in another stellar display to sweep aside Joyce.
The 22-year-old reeled off seven straight legs to complete a thumping victory, averaging 106.45, landing seven maximums and pinning ten of his 17 attempts at double.
“There was always going to be pressure on myself to continue that form, and I’m really happy with that performance,” claimed Van Veen, who will compete in a best-of-31-leg contest for the first time on Saturday.
“I think if I can maintain this level it’s going to take a special performance to stop me, but every player in this tournament is capable of doing that.
“Next up it’s best of 31. I have never played that before so we will see how that goes, but if I continue playing like this, I’m definitely in with a chance this week.”
In the evening’s opener, Wattimena survived eight missed match darts before toppling Dimitri Van den Bergh in an absorbing contest, as the Dutchman sealed his place in a second straight TV ranking quarter-final.
Van den Bergh stormed into an early 4-0 lead, but the Dutchman responded by winning seven of the next eight legs, which included consecutive 126 and 88 checkouts on the bull.
The pendulum shifted once more as Van den Bergh hit back with a brace of ton-plus checkouts, but he was unable to close out victory in a gripping finale, as Wattimena pinned double eight with his fifth match dart to prevail in the decider.
“I thought it was all over. It was incredible,” revealed Wattimena, who now faces Littler for a place in the last four.
“This was a really difficult game, but a win is a win, and I’m looking forward to the quarter-finals.”
The quarter-final action will get underway in Wolverhampton on Friday night, as 2023 runner-up Rob Cross plays debutant Martin Lukeman for a place in the semi-finals.
The evening’s opening tie will see Cameron Menzies and Mickey Mansell go head-to-head, as both players prepare to feature in their first televised ranking quarter-finals.
2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts
Thursday November 14
4x Second Round
Jermaine Wattimena 10-9 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gian van Veen 10-2 Ryan Joyce
Luke Littler 10-9 Mike De Decker
Gary Anderson 10-6 Stephen Bunting
Friday November 15 (1900 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals
Cameron Menzies v Mickey Mansell
Martin Lukeman v Rob Cross
Best of 31 legs
Saturday November 16 (1900 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals – order of play TBC
Jermaine Wattimena v Luke Littler
Gary Anderson v Gian van Veen
Best of 31 legs
——ENDS—–
Images: Kieran Cleeves/PDC
