Darts World Cup: Dismissed by Littler – Suljovic accepts his slap with a everlasting grin | EUROtoday

Given the historical past, Luke Littler had ready himself for the worst. “No matter whether it’s the player you’re playing against or the audience – you always have to assume the worst. If it’s not as bad as you thought, I’m happy about it,” mentioned the reigning darts world champion earlier than his sport in opposition to Mensur Suljovic to Sky Sports.

The angle appeared precisely proper, in any case his opponent had triggered one of many match’s controversies. With his provocatively gradual sport and his exuberant celebrations, Suljovic had so unnerved his second-round opponent Joe Cullen that he not solely misplaced the sport but additionally his head. The Englishman then even spoke of “fraud” and didn’t again down from it within the English press days later.

So the query arose as to which model of Suljovic Littler ought to face within the third spherical of the World Darts Championship. The sport was unable to supply a solution. Littler did not permit Suljovic to create constructive moments and rejoice them extensively. The Austrian had grandly introduced that he needed to throw Littler off the stage. It was he who was merely swept away by the world champion.

In the primary two units he performed a very good 98 common, however did not have a double discipline in a single try. Littler’s efficiency was so dominant that Suljovic might solely acknowledge it with a smile when he left the stage on the second break, utterly shaken. Littler averaged 108.65 factors at this level.

Leg wins rewarded with Mensur-Suljovic chants

Only within the eighth leg of the sport did Suljovic keep away from the best potential embarrassment, a defeat with out profitable a leg of his personal. He had his first probability at a double and used them to equalize within the third set. Once once more, a deep grin crossed his face, which he mixed with self-ironic cheers from the viewers. His opponent smiled with him for the briefest of seconds.

The incontrovertible fact that Suljovic was now on the scoreboard didn’t lead to any adjustments to the course of the sport. He did win a couple of legs, which have been rewarded with Mensur-Suljovic chants from the followers at Alexandra Palace. Littler, who made it public on Saturday that he needed to endure eye surgical procedure as a baby as a result of he suffered from strabismus (cross-eye), however surfed comfortably in the direction of an unchallenged victory with a 107 common – a world championship file for Littler. When the rating was 4-0, Suljovic as soon as once more solely had one factor left: a smile.

“To be honest, I think he just enjoyed being up there,” Littler mentioned, when requested about his opponent’s physique language. “I had a job to do. Mensur can be proud of his tournament.”

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The 18-year-old Englishman mentioned Suljovic performed quicker than anticipated. “I liked that. It was like that when we were brawling backstage. I just thought to myself: ‘Keep it that way, Mensur'”. He tried to adapt to Suljovic’s fashion of play, did not rush in the direction of the board at excessive velocity as typical and drank plenty of water.

A tactic that labored. Littler stays with out dropping a set throughout the match – and given his efficiency, he’s the massive favourite for the title. Especially since there had beforehand been the subsequent favourite shock. Stephen Bunting, quantity 4 on the planet, was eradicated early. Visibly distressed on stage, he misplaced 3-4 to James Hurrell, quantity 63 on the planet. “Great, the biggest victory of my life,” mentioned Hurrell, summing up his emotions.

The outcome for the German one, Martin Schindler, is supposedly excellent news. He would now face Hurrell in a spherical of 16 as an alternative of high star Bunting. “I just got number four out of the way. I’m not worried,” Hurrell mentioned of the subsequent potential opponent. Before that, Schindler first has to get Ryan Searle out of the best way on Sunday (1.45 p.m./Sport1 and DAZN).

Darts World Cup 2026, outcomes third spherical

Wesley Plaisier (NED) – Krzysztof Ratajski (POL) 3:4

Andrew Gilding (ENG) – Luke Woodhouse (ENG/25) 1:4

Jonny Clayton (WAL/5) — Niels Zonneveld (NED) 4:3

from 8.15 p.m.:

Andreas Harrysson (SWE) – Ricardo Pietreczko (D) 4:2

Stephen Bunting (ENG/4) – James Hurrell 3:4

Luke Littler (ENG/1) – Mensur Suljovic (AUT) 4:0

Luca Wiecek is sports activities editor for WELT. He will likely be reporting from Alexandra Palace in London till New Year’s Eve.