Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen will renew their rivalry in the quarter-finals of the TOTO Dutch Darts Masters in Den Bosch on Saturday evening.
The two darting titans will lock horns for the first time since January 3, when Littler produced a stunning display to defeat the Dutchman 7-3 and clinch his maiden World Championship crown.
However, Van Gerwen defeated the teenage sensation in last year’s Dutch Darts Masters final, and the home favourite is hoping for a repeat performance at De Maaspoort.
“I feel good, I feel comfortable and there’s lots to build on,” reflected Van Gerwen, who swept aside Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 in Friday’s first round.
“I think I played really well in patches, but now I am focused on Saturday because it’s going to be a really important night with three games.
“It would mean the world to me to win in Den Bosch again, but everybody knows that. If it wasn’t important to me, I wouldn’t be here – simple as that.”
Littler booked his place in the last eight with a battling 6-4 victory over 2022 champion Dimitri Van den Bergh, reeling off three consecutive legs to advance with a 101 average.
The teenage phenom overcame Van Gerwen on Dutch soil on his way to winning the World Series of Darts Finals back in September, but he’s anticipating a different challenge this time around.
“I think Michael will be wanting revenge, especially in his own backyard,” conceded Littler, who celebrated his 18th birthday on Tuesday.
“I would love to get another win and progress to the semi-finals, but I know it will be a really tough game.
“The World Series is a massive thing - it’s brilliant to go to all of these countries, and hopefully I can get my hands on another title this weekend.”
Saturday’s action will see the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place in one bumper session, with four Host Nation representatives still left standing in Den Bosch.
Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld is among those still in contention, after landing a sensational 144 checkout to deny former Masters champion Chris Dobey in a dramatic last-leg decider.
Van Barneveld sent the partisan home crowd wild with a moment of magic to reach the quarter-finals for a second straight year, and his reward is a last eight showdown against Stephen Bunting.
Bunting began his bid for back-to-back World Series of Darts titles with a deciding-leg success against Gian van Veen, defying a 105 average from the World Youth Champion to prevail.
Jermaine Wattimena continued his resurgence with a superb 6-3 victory over Luke Humphries, averaging 99 and winning six of the last seven legs to account for the world number one.
Wattimena will play world number four Rob Cross for a semi-final berth, after the 2018 World Champion defeated debutant Richard Veenstra by the same 6-3 scoreline.
Elsewhere, Bahrain Darts Masters runner-up Gerwyn Price averaged 101 to ease past Danny Noppert, and he will now face Kevin Doets, who ran out a convincing 6-1 winner against Nathan Aspinall.
2025 TOTO Dutch Darts Masters
Saturday January 25 (1900 local time, 1800 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting v Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Littler v Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price v Kevin Doets
Jermaine Wattimena v Rob Cross
Semi-Finals
Bunting/Van Barneveld v Littler/Van Gerwen
Price/Doets v Wattimena/Cross
Final
v
Format
Quarter-Finals - Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 13 legs
Final - Best of 15 legs