LUKE ‘The Nuke’ Littler is through to the knockout stages of the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
The superstar Warrington 17-year-old has one Group F game still to play on Tuesday night, but the demolition jobs completed on his two opponents over the weekend mean he is through to the last 16 on his tournament debut.
With last year’s winner and reigning world champion Luke Humphries knocked out in the group stage, all eyes will be on ‘The Nuke’ now as the potential title winner.
Premier League champion Littler lit up Saturday’s opening day with a blistering display against 22-year-old Irishman Keane Barry, averaging 112.16 to see off the Irish youngster 5-0 in just six minutes and 48 seconds.
“I’ve been practising very well leading up to the Grand Slam, and I’m glad I played so well on my debut,” said Littler.
“I felt good. It’s a short format so you’ve got to switch on. You have got to be on your A-game, and I was very focused.”
Sunday was almost as good, averaging 108 as he destroyed Belgium’s UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-1.
Although the pressure will be off Littler on Tuesday night for his clash with Filipino Lourence Ilagan, the PDC Asian champion who has lost his two Group F matches so far, he will want to continue with his form and go into his first knockout match with momentum.
