The first Saudi Arabia Masters tournament in Riyadh has become a true celebration for darts enthusiasts. In the quarter-finals, viewers will witness a repeat of the recent PDC World Championship final, where Luke Littler will face off against Jan van Veen. Both athletes have successfully dealt with their previous opponents and are ready to determine who is stronger at this moment.
Luke Littler, who will turn 19 on Wednesday, will meet 71-year-old Paul Lim for the second time in a week. Just like in the tournament in Bahrain, the Englishman confidently secured victory, defeating the veteran 6-1. Littler, a two-time world champion among juniors and in televised tournaments, quickly took the initiative, winning the first legs. Lim managed to avoid a "whitewash" only in the fifth leg, successfully closing 96 points. Littler's average score was 89.33 points.
Now, Luke faces the challenge of opposing Jan van Veen, whom he recently crushed in the final at the "Alexander Palace" with a score of 7-1. However, despite that unfortunate defeat, the Dutchman is showing excellent form, having a victory in the European Championship under his belt. In Riyadh, van Veen easily handled Japanese player Motomu Sakai, winning 6-2. "I am looking forward to the next match. I hope to take revenge this time," van Veen noted, commenting on the upcoming encounter.
The tournament also continues with other interesting matches. Gerwyn Price, who confidently defeated Alexis Toylo, is preparing for an important match against Luke Humphries, who overcame Ryusei Adzemoto (6-2). Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting, and Nathan Aspinall all secured their places in the next round with the same score of 6-1. A major surprise was the defeat of Danny Noppert by Hong Kong player Man Lok Leung with a score of 3-6.
The Saudi Arabia Masters continues to gain popularity, and the match between young stars Littler and van Veen promises to be a bright event in the quarter-final stage.
