Littler Sets Up Van Veen Rematch in Saudi Arabia Darts Masters Quarters

Luke Littler advanced to the quarterfinals of the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters with a dominating 6-1 victory over Paul Lim, setting up a highly anticipated rematch against Gian van Veen. This will be their first encounter since Littler's 7-1 win in the World Darts Championship Final, which made him the first back-to-back world champion in a decade. Littler initially struggled to adjust to the subdued atmosphere at the Global Theatre but managed to overcome Lim, who briefly gained momentum before Littler secured the win. Littler expressed that winning in Saudi Arabia would mean everything to him. Meanwhile, Van Veen secured his spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-2 win over Motomu Sakai, overcoming a rough patch to seal his victory with strong power scoring. Other notable winners include Man Lok Leung, who upset world No. 10 Danny Noppert, and Gerwyn Price, who whitewashed Alexi Toylo with a 100-plus average. The quarterfinals are set to feature intriguing matchups, including Littler vs. Van Veen and Michael van Gerwen vs. Stephen Bunting.