Littler Dominates Suljovic with Convincing Win as Bunting Exits Tournament

Luke Littler delivered a resounding statement with a 4-0 victory over Mensur Suljovic in the third round, while Stephen Bunting was eliminated from the World Darts Championship by James Hurrell. Littler suffered just three lost legs, achieving the second-highest average of the tournament at 107.09, surpassed only by Gian van Veen's 108.28, and issued a warning to the remaining competitors. As the current World No 1, Littler is set to face either Damon Heta or Rob Cross in the fourth round, underscoring his potential to become the first player to defend his title since Gary Anderson ten years ago. 'I'm very happy. My finishing was good, and I don't recall achieving a 71 percent checkout percentage in my PDC career,' Littler stated in an interview with Sky Sports. Littler swiftly adapted to Suljovic's slower pace, breaking his opponent twice and securing the first set with an impressive 11-darter. This form persisted into the second set, where Littler averaged 108, leaving Suljovic searching for answers. The Austrian experienced a brief resurgence in the third set but was ultimately unable to capitalize on his momentum. Littler's dominance continued, as he secured a 124 checkout to claim the set and proceeded to maintain his stronghold throughout the match. Mark Webster of Sky Sports Darts praised Littler, saying, 'He was incredible from start to finish, controlling the match with an outstanding attitude that makes him a formidable opponent.' Littler reflected on his performance, stating, 'That's another round out of the way, and I'll return in a few days.' Meanwhile, World No 4 Bunting suffered a stunning 4-3 defeat at the hands of James Hurrell, becoming the highest-seeded player to exit the tournament thus far. Hurrell outperformed Bunting throughout the match and could have achieved a whitewash if not for two exceptional 161 and 121 checkouts by Bunting in deciding legs. Bunting, seemingly struggling with a cold, managed to mount a comeback but ultimately fell short as Hurrell won five of the next six legs to take a 3-2 lead. The deciding set saw Hurrell break Bunting's throw in the second leg and secure the win with a 14-darter, advancing to the last 16 to face either Martin Schindler or Ryan Searle. 'This is the biggest win of my career,' Hurrell exclaimed, adding, 'I knew where my game was before the match, and I just need to work on my doubles.' Jonny Clayton narrowly edged out Niels Zonneveld 4-3, averaging 98.44 and landing 11 maximums. Clayton expressed his relief, saying, 'It was a close match, and I was thinking, 'Please let me win this.' I feel good when I'm on stage, but I need to eliminate the loose darts and focus on two-treble visits.' Clayton will face Swedish debutant Andreas Harrysson in the next round. Krzysztof Ratajski staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming a 3-1 deficit to defeat Wesley Plaisier, who had previously stunned Gerwyn Price with a whitewash victory. Ratajski averaged 98, hit six 180s, and landed four stunning checkouts to seal the win. He will face Luke Woodhouse, who dominated Andrew Gilding 4-1, in the last 16.