Luke Littler needed a deciding set to edge past Ryan Joyce into the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship in a thrilling 4-3 win at Alexandra Palace.
The Nuke was pushed hard by Relentless on Monday night, but did enough to survive and book a clash with Nathan Aspinall in the last eight.
The 17-year-old finished with an average of 103 to Joyce’s 97, but the underdog continued the brilliant finishing he has been showing so far this tournament, ending the match with 48 per cent on the doubles to Littler’s 35.
‘I think I went into 10th gear at one point, I had to!’ Littler told Sky Sports.
I just said to Ryan there, “I didn’t think you had your power scoring!” He threw everything at me!’
The teenager was never behind in sets, leading 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, but Joyce continued to peg him back, forcing the tournament favourite to continue to keep kicking on.
Littler proved why he is such a superstar of the oche by doing just that when others would have wilted under the pressure, ending the match with 14 180s to his name.
Littler vs Aspinall completes the quarter-final line-up alongside Michael van Gerwen taking on Callan Rydz, Chris Dobey facing Gerwyn Price and Peter Wright meeting Stephen Bunting.
There were more comfortable wins earlier in the evening for Van Gerwen, who beat Jeffrey de Graaf 4-2, and Bunting who downed Luke Woodhouse 4-0.
More to follow…
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