Reigning World Champion Luke Littler edged one stride closer to immortality beneath the Alexandra Palace lights, but only after being dragged through the furnace by a man who knows precisely what it takes to sit on that throne – Rob Cross.
This was Littler in absolute top gear. Full Nuke. No limiter. An imperious 106.58 average. Clinical on the doubles. Seventeen maximums hurled with the casual menace of a player operating several planes above normality. And make no mistake – it required every ounce of that supercharged performance to subdue Cross. Anything less, and this story ends very differently.
On this level, few on the planet can live with Luke Littler. But a fully charged Voltage is one of them. In the end, the 18-year-old emerged a deserved victor, yet the scoreline barely scratches the surface of the drama that unfolded.The opening set saw Littler burst from the blocks while Cross remained stuck in neutral. Then came the response – the equaliser arriving courtesy of missed chances from the Warringtonian on the outer ring.
Set three? Utter annihilation. A scarcely believable 125.25 average as Littler unleashed three legs of pure, destructive brilliance to reclaim control. Another authoritative set followed soon after, and suddenly the teenager was one away from victory. But champions do not fade quietly.
With the walls closing in, Cross reminded everyone exactly who he is. A former World Champion. A man forged in pressure. A hold of throw, yes – but punctuated by a colossal 126 checkout in the deciding leg to keep himself breathing. Three-two. Game on.
Then came the surge. Momentum swinging violently in Cross’s favour. The Ally Pally crowd roaring behind him. Another deciding leg loomed and whispers of a seven-set classic began to ripple through the Palace. But Littler slammed the door shut. Expectation extinguished.
Relief and triumph fused as the winning double finally landed, his reaction alone betraying the scale of the battle he had just survived.Cross’s display would likely have dismantled most of those left in the field. It took Littler in overdrive to bring him down.
Relief gave way to jubilation as the teenager bounced across the stage. Pushed to the brink. But unbroken.
Next up for The Nuke – Luke Woodhouse or Krzysztof Ratajski.
Elsewhere, World Cup winner Josh Rock bulldozed his way into round four with a destructive 4–1 dismantling of Callan Rydz. Clearly weighed down by the recent passing of his grandfather, Rydz still delivered a performance his idol would have been immensely proud of.
Sadly for him, it wasn’t enough to halt Rock’s momentum, as the Northern Irishman booked a last-16 clash with Justin Hood.
Rock started sluggishly, doubles deserting him as Rydz pounced to claim the opener. The crowd was then teased with perfection – both men navigating seven flawless darts before the eighth betrayed them, triggering a chorus of pantomime boos. Rock eventually grabbed the set, and in hindsight, it was pivotal.
After the second interval, the Antrim arrow-smith hit the accelerator. Power scoring. Ruthless finishing. A 2–1 lead secured with authority. Rydz had his chance to steal the deciding leg in set five but couldn’t cash in. From there, staring down the barrel, the task became monumental. Rock held firm, absorbed everything thrown at him, and closed it out.Nine maximums, a flurry of 177s and a healthy doubles percentage – a job well done. Most will expect Rock to muscle past the Somerset surprise package Hood next. But with visions of a Chinese restaurant dancing in his head, Happy Feet won’t abandon the dream without a scrap.
And quietly, ominously, Ryan Searle continues his relentless march. Heavy Metal cruised past James Hurrell in straight sets, bringing an emphatic end to a run Hurrell can be immensely proud of – highlighted by that stunning victory over fourth seed Stephen Bunting.
Searle, though, ensured that was the final chapter. Another ruthless display. Another match without dropping a set. A ton-plus average. Sustained heavy scoring. Exactly 50 percent on the doubles. The complete Devonian symphony.
While the superstars devour the headlines, Ryan Searle is ghosting through this tournament in pure James Wade stealth mode. Unseen by many. Feared by those who know. Awaiting the winner of Jonny Clayton versus Andreas Harrysson, with a first ever World Championship quarter-final within touching distance. Dark horses do not come much darker than this.
MONDAY 29th DECEMBER – Evening Session Report
Round Three
Josh Rock 4-1 Callan Rydz
Round Four
James Hurrell 0-4 Ryan Searle
Luke Littler 4-2 Rob Cross
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
