Darts prodigy Luke Littler has made an explosive start to his season at the Bahrain Darts Masters, securing a dominant 6-1 victory over veteran Paul Lim in his first match since becoming a back-to-back world champion. Alongside Littler, fellow top players like Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, and Gerwyn Price also comfortably advanced to the quarter-finals, setting the stage for thrilling clashes in the next rounds.
Littler’s Dominant Return to the Oche
Fresh from successfully retaining the Sid Waddell Trophy and extending his reign as World No. 1 on January 3rd, Luke Littler wasted no time in making his mark at the Bahrain Darts Masters. In a highly anticipated return to the oche, ‘The Nuke’ delivered a commanding performance, brushing aside the 53-year-older fan favourite Paul Lim with a convincing 6-1 scoreline.
Littler, who claimed his first World Series of Darts title at this very event in 2024, showcased incredible form. He fired a remarkable 106.5 average and delivered two ton-plus finishes during the one-sided contest. A particular highlight was his sensational 170 ‘Big Fish’ checkout – darts jargon for hitting treble 20, treble 20, and the bullseye, the highest possible finish in the game. His efficiency on the doubles was also exceptional, converting six of his eight attempts.
First Round Highlights and Key Match-Ups
The first round saw many of darts’ biggest names progress with relative ease. Here’s a quick overview of all the results:
- Gerwyn Price 6-4 Motomu Sakai
- Gian van Veen 6-2 Man Lok Leung
- Danny Noppert 6-1 Basem Mahmood
- Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Lourence Ilagan
- Luke Humphries 6-0 Abdulla Saeed
- Luke Littler 6-1 Paul Lim
- Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Alexis Toylo
- Stephen Bunting 6-2 Ryusei Azemoto
Delving deeper into some of the key encounters:
Littler vs. Lim: A Masterclass
While Lim had an early chance to break Littler, he couldn’t convert, allowing ‘The Nuke’ to seize control. Littler’s brilliance was on full display with his sensational 170 checkout in the third leg, quickly followed by an 11-darter to break the veteran. (An 11-darter means finishing a leg in just 11 throws, demonstrating incredibly fast and accurate play). He continued his relentless form, adding a 121 checkout and maintaining near-perfect accuracy on doubles until his match-winning leg, which he sealed with a 14-darter.
Price and Other Contenders Advance
Gerwyn Price, ‘The Iceman’, faced a tougher challenge against local favourite Motomu Sakai. Despite Sakai often outscoring him, his inconsistent finishing proved costly, allowing Price to secure a 6-4 win with a crucial 107 finish to sneak the opening leg. World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen also capitalized on his opponent Man Lok Leung’s wayward scoring, roaring back from a 2-1 deficit to win five consecutive legs and secure a 6-2 victory, setting up an all-Dutch quarter-final with Danny Noppert.
Defending champion Stephen Bunting made a strong start, as did Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall, both claiming 6-4 wins. Meanwhile, Luke Humphries, the reigning world champion, continued his dominant form, dispatching Abdulla Saeed in straight legs for the third consecutive year, giving Saeed only one dart at a double throughout the match. Bahraini Basem Mahmood did manage to win his first-ever leg in the event but ultimately fell 6-1 to Danny Noppert.
The Road Ahead: Quarter-Final Showdowns
The first round has set up some electrifying quarter-final clashes, promising high-stakes drama as the tournament progresses:
Quarter-Finals (best of 11 legs)
- Luke Littler v Gerwyn Price (A highly anticipated rematch from last year’s event, where Price emerged victorious at the same stage)
- Michael van Gerwen v Stephen Bunting
- Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall
- Gian van Veen v Danny Noppert
Semi-Finals (best of 13 legs)
- Littler/Price v Van Gerwen/Bunting
- Humphries/Aspinall v Van Veen/Noppert
Fans can look forward to an exciting day of darts as these top players battle it out for a spot in the final.
Source: Based on an article from Sky Sports – Sports News, Transfers, Scores | Watch Live Sport.
