Luke Littler lays down a marker with Blackpool victory
Luke Littler made a dominant start to his Betfred World Matchplay campaign on Sunday night.
The 18-year-old overcame Ryan Searle 10-2 to claim his first win at the Winter Gardens, with the match taking just 16 minutes.
Littler started his game with an immediate break, the start of six consecutive legs for the teenager.
Although Searle claimed the seventh leg to get on the board, before adding another in the 10th, it just delayed the inevitable as Littler wrapped up an impressive victory.
“I watched this tournament as a little kid growing up,” the world number two said.
“I came last night and watched the first session – and that’s what I’ll do on my day off.
“When you play 16 nights in the Premier League there’s some quality venues, but obviously the Winter Gardens is there with the best now I’ve got a win under my belt. The fans tonight were unbelievable.”
The opening game of the evening saw Gary Anderson claim a 10-5 victory over Luke Woodhouse.
Woodhouse enjoyed a bright start, breaking his opponent in the opening leg before completing a 167 checkout to hold his own throw.
Anderson swiftly fought back, winning the next four legs, before Woodhouse levelled at 4-4.
However, Anderson won five legs in a row from 5-5 to set up a clash with Stephen Bunting.
The 2018 champion said afterwards: “There’s venues and then there’s venues.
“To me, the Grand Slam at the Civic Hall was the best tournament, but we don’t play there, so it’s Ally Pally and the Matchplay at Blackpool.”
Bunting had a 10-8 victory over Ryan Joyce in a match where he was 4-2 and 8-4 ahead.
Having been pegged back to 8-8, Bunting found a crucial break to go back in front before holding throw to book his place in the next round.
“I’ll go back to my hotel and won’t even think about the frustrating part of the game; I’ll think about the winning double and the winning feeling,” he said.
“With the season I’ve had and the performances I’ve put in, I know I can win this title, but in the same breath, I know there’s so many players still in this tournament who can beat me.
“I need to make sure I don’t look at the finishing line and I look at the next game, and then the next game, and take it one game at a time.
“I’m here with the family, I’m going in with a free hit. There’s no pressure on the rankings; I’m just enjoying the ride.”
Jonny Clayton was a 10-7 winner against Martin Schindler after a strong start saw him open up a 5-1 lead.
Schindler was able to close the gap, winning four of the next five legs, before another surge from Clayton helped him to claim victory with an average of 99.60.
Reflecting on some of the big names to exit this year’s World Matchplay so far, the 2023 finalist said: “For them to go out, someone has to play well, so if they can play well in the first game, they can do it in the second, third, fourth, fifth game.
“That’s the level at the moment, where it’s serious and you have to have your head on to throw your best darts.
“It’s fantastic for the game. For us as players, there’s no lazy practicing or games because you’ve got to be at your best. It’s in a good place.
“I’ve been to the final once, so I want to do it again. That feeling when they announce your name as a finalist, there’s no better feeling.
“Well, there could be. I could have lifted the trophy, but you feel important.”
Earlier in the day, former champions Rob Cross and Peter Wright joined the list of high-profile casualties in Blackpool, with Damon Heta and Dave Chisnall also crashing out at the first hurdle.
Andrew Gilding missed double 12 for a spectacular nine-darter in his tie against Heta, before eventually running out a 12-10 winner.
Both players averaged more a ton in a compelling contest, although it was Gilding – aided by 10 maximums – who prevailed in a dramatic tie-break to set up a meeting with Dirk van Duijvenbode.
“A few years ago I would have crumbled,” conceded Gilding, who averaged 101.82 to record one of the best victories of his career.
“Now I’m getting so much experience under my belt that I can handle these pressure situations.
“I wanted that nine-darter so badly, but I’m very happy to win and hopefully I can reach the quarter-finals again. That’s the dream!”
Van Duijvenbode booked his spot in the last 16 thanks to a superb 10-8 win over Cross.
The Dutchman overturned a 6-2 deficit to stun the 2019 champion, unleashing a brilliant late barrage to complete the comeback.
Jermaine Wattimena fended off a spirited fightback from 2021 champion Wright to secure his first World Matchplay win.
Wattimena suffered a quartet of first round exits between 2018 and 2021, but he marked his return with a hard-fought 10-8 victory.
Mike De Decker also celebrated his first victory on the Winter Gardens stage, converting back-to-back 104 and 148 checkouts to complete a 10-7 victory over five-time quarter-finalist Chisnall.
The World Grand Prix champion had trailed 7-6 at one stage, before rattling off four successive legs to set up a meeting with fifth seed Clayton on Tuesday evening.