Luke Littler (Photo by Simon O'Connor/PDC)
Luke Littler recorded the second-highest average in European Championship history to continue his title charge in Dortmund, as reigning champion Gian van Veen became the latest big-name casualty at the Westfalenhalle on Saturday.
Having produced the performance of the opening round on Friday, Littler maintained his blistering form on German soil, averaging 114.47 in a mesmerising 10-5 victory against Nathan Aspinall.
The World Champion raced out of the blocks with an astonishing four-leg flurry, registering winning legs of 12, 11, 12 and 11 darts to lead 4-0 with an average north of 130.
Aspinall – who crashed in ten 180s in defeat – fought back brilliantly to reduce the arrears to 5-4, but a relentless Littler regained control midway through the contest en route to sealing his last eight spot.
“I felt really good from the off tonight,” admitted Littler, who threatened Phil Taylor’s tournament record average of 118.14.
“Nathan is always there. He’s always going to come back at you, so I couldn’t afford a drop off.
“I looked up a few times and I think I was on a 121 average and 117 at some point, so I said to myself: ‘just keep going’.
“I’ve had a long time off and past results haven’t gone my way, but hopefully if I do lift the trophy, I can say I’ve not gone anywhere!”
The European Championship is the only Premier title that eludes Littler, and the world number one will now take on Krzysztof Ratajski in Sunday afternoon’s quarter-finals.
Ratajski fought back from 4-0 and 8-6 down to deny Kevin Doets a place in his first televised quarter-final, firing in seven maximums and averaging almost 97 in the process.
Luke Woodhouse continued his terrific weekend in Dortmund, following up Thursday’s nine-dart heroics with an emphatic 10-6 success against defending champion Van Veen.
Van Veen’s exit ensures Ross Smith is the only former champion left in the tournament, and Woodhouse will now take on the 2022 champion in another intriguing quarter-final clash.
“Being in the quarter-finals is huge,” admitted Woodhouse, who landed checkouts of 114, 117 and 129 to account for the Dutch number one.
“When someone of Gian’s quality is not at it, you’ve got to pounce on them and make sure you don’t let them back into the game.
“I was very steady and I took my chances, but I have another big game tomorrow.”
Top seed Smith fended off Damon Heta’s valiant fightback to continue his bid for a second European Championship crown, running out a 10-7 winner earlier in the afternoon.
Smith was imperious in the opening exchanges, averaging 112 to storm into a five-leg lead, before defying some late double trouble to maintain his charge for a second televised title of 2026.
Elsewhere, German number one Martin Schindler delighted a partisan home crowd to topple Jermaine Wattimena and set up a quarter-final showdown against Jonny Clayton.
Schindler, roared on by over 7,000 fans at the Westfalenhalle, pinned 53% of his attempts at double to complete a comprehensive 10-4 win at the expense of 2024 runner-up Wattimena.
“I definitely enjoyed that,” revealed Schindler, through to his third televised ranking quarter-final.
“I’m always trying to take the energy they [the fans] are giving me, and it’s always a nice situation to play in front of your home crowd, but you still need to play solid darts.
“This year has been very strange for me. I’ve been playing not badly but still losing, but right here, right now I’m in the last eight for the first time, and I feel like I’m playing better.”
Clayton, meanwhile, conjured his trademark 121 finish on the bullseye to wrap up a 10-8 victory over Josh Rock, who was threatening to pull off a dramatic fightback from 9-6 adrift.
Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting will also go head-to-head tomorrow afternoon, after producing dazzling doubling displays to dispatch Cameron Menzies and Kim Huybrechts respectively.
Price registered a hat-trick of ton-plus checkouts during his 10-4 demolition of Menzies, winning seven of the last eight legs to confirm his progress in emphatic style.
Bunting was equally proficient on the outer ring, converting 100, 108, 116 and 121 finishes to advance to his first European Championship quarter-final since 2014.
RESULTS
Round Two
Gerwyn Price 10-4 Cameron Menzies
Stephen Bunting 10-3 Kim Huybrechts
Ross Smith 10-7 Damon Heta
Luke Woodhouse 10-6 Gian van Veen
Krzysztof Ratajski 10-8 Kevin Doets
Martin Schindler 10-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Luke Littler 10-5 Nathan Aspinall
Jonny Clayton 10-8 Josh Rock
