Littler Continues Dominance at the Belgian Darts Open
Luke Littler kicked off his defense of the Belgian Darts Open title with a commanding 6-2 victory over Boris Kurtschmar on Saturday. Averaging 104.70 points, Littler’s performance followed a dramatic comeback just days earlier, where he overcame a 5-0 deficit to defeat Gerwyn Price 6-5 in the Premier League in Dublin.
At the Wiese’s Oktoberhallen, Littler established a solid early lead against Krcmar, hitting double 19 twice to advance to a 4-0 advantage. However, the match took a turn when the two-time world champion missed five match darts in the seventh leg, allowing his Croatian opponent a glimpse of hope.
Despite that setback, Littler started the eighth leg impressively with back-to-back 180s. While he didn’t finish with nine darters, he secured the win, moving on to face Niels Sonnefeld in the next round. Sonnefeld had previously triumphed over last year’s runner-up, Mike de Dekker, in a tight 6-5 match.
Littler expressed his excitement, stating his fondness for the venue: “I love it here. My first European Tour event was here. A performance like that will push me towards my goal of winning again.”
Humphries Survives a Close Call
In other matches, world number two Luke Humphries faced a tough challenge but managed to fend off Dirk van Duijvenbode with a 6-4 victory. After racing to a 4-0 lead, Humphries had to dig deep when his opponent nearly leveled the score at 5-5, but the Englishman executed flawlessly under pressure to seal his win with an average of 100.25.
Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen also claimed victory against Mickey Mansell, winning 6-4, and Johnny Clayton had a smooth match, defeating Sebastian Bialecki 6-3. However, early exits were in store for James Wade and Stephen Bunting, who fell to Cristo Reyes and Andy Batens, respectively.
Results and Matchups from the 2026 Lecot Belgian Darts Open
This weekend’s action featured a series of intense matches. On Saturday, favorites like Ross Smith and Jermaine Wattimena showcased their skills, with Smith overcoming Cameron Menzies 6-4 and Wattimena defeating Ryan Meikle 6-3. In the evening session, standout performances included Cristo Reyes taking down James Wade 6-2 and Littler’s convincing win against Kurtschmar.
Looking ahead to Sunday, the third round promises more thrilling matchups, including Littler against Sonnefeld, and renowned competitors such as Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries set to take the stage.
Anticipation Builds for Night Eight of the Premier League in Berlin
The spotlight now shifts to Berlin, where the eighth night of the BetMGM Premier League will take place on Thursday, March 26. Littler is set to face Bunting at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, looking to capitalize on his recent successes in the tournament.
League leaders Creighton will open the night against Lock, while other notable matchups include Humphries squaring off against Van Gerwen, and Price facing Van Veen in a bid for the semi-finals.
As competition intensifies, fans eagerly await the outcomes that will determine who will emerge victorious in this year’s Premier League Darts. Viewers can catch all the action every Thursday on Sky Sports up until May, as the excitement continues to build in the world of professional darts.
