European Championship Round-Up | Luke Humphries survives Menzies scare as Luke Littler dumped out by brilliant James Wade

World number one Luke Humphries survived a huge scare to keep his title hopes alive. While James Wade produced one of the biggest shocks of the European Championship so far by dumping out Luke Littler in Dortmund.

Humphries edged past a spirited Cameron Menzies 10–9 in a last-leg decider. Cool Hand Luke was pushed all the way by an inspired Scot but held his nerve when it mattered most at the European Championship.

Humphries took a scrappy opening leg on double two, but Menzies quickly hit his stride, levelling with a 113 checkout before reeling off legs of 14 and 11 darts to move 3–1 up. Humphries hit back with a classy 121 finish to trail just 3–2 at the first break.

Menzies came out firing again with a 12-darter for 4–2, but Humphries responded with back-to-back legs in 13 and 17 darts to level. He then moved 5–4 ahead with a 14-darter, though missed doubles in the tenth leg allowed Menzies to force parity once more at 5–5.

After the second interval, Menzies regained the upper hand with legs of 13 and 14 darts for a 7–5 advantage. Humphries hit back with a 16-darter to close the gap, but Menzies responded again with a tidy 70 finish for 8–6. The world champion then dug deep, taking the next two legs to level at 8–8, before pinning 83 to reach match point. Menzies forced a decider with a stunning 11-darter, yet Humphries delivered under pressure — sealing victory in 14 darts to book his place in the last eight.

While The Machine Wade capitalised on an off-night from the teenager Littler to seal a superb 10–7 victory, marked by several trademark Wade finishes.

It was Wade who surprisingly made the early running, taking the first two legs with a 15-darter and a clinical 121 checkout. Littler responded well, firing in a 13-darter to get on the board and then punishing two missed darts from Wade to level at 2–2. The Nuke then produced an 81 finish on the bull to move ahead for the first time.

However, Littler still looked far from his best on the stage. Two missed darts at double allowed Wade back in to make it 3–3, and the left-hander followed with an 84 checkout to reclaim the lead. Littler levelled again at 4–4 with an 85 finish, but Wade’s control and composure were beginning to tell. A 14-darter moved him back in front, before a brilliant 110 finish sent him 6–4 up at the second interval.

Littler came flying out of the break with a 12-darter and a 13-darter to tie things at 6–6, but it proved to be a brief resurgence. The teenager’s doubles began to falter once more, and Wade punished every mistake with ruthless precision. The veteran surged 9–7 ahead before completing the upset with a superb 108 checkout to send Littler packing and book his spot in the quarter-finals.

Danny Noppert produced a composed and clinical display to book his place in the last eight of the European Championship with a 10–7 win over Nathan Aspinall. The Freeze punished every error from The Asp in a high-quality contest.

Aspinall started brightly, breaking straight away and then missing three darts to consolidate as Noppert levelled at 1–1. The Englishman broke again with a brilliant 12-darter and held for 3–1, before Noppert’s 70 finish kept him in touch at 3–2.

After the first break, Noppert raised his level. Consecutive 14-darters gave him the lead for the first time, but Aspinall responded with a 114 finish to square at 4–4. Noppert then took control, producing a 15-darter for 5–4 and following with a crucial break. When Aspinall missed three darts to level, Noppert pounced with a 94 finish for 6–4 at the interval.

Aspinall broke back in leg 11, but Noppert reeled off the next three legs with some superb scoring, including 12- and 13-darters, to lead 9–5. The Matchplay champion battled back to 9–7 and threatened another comeback, but Noppert sealed the win in style with a 130 checkout on the bull to secure his quarter-final berth.

Ricardo Pietreczko delighted the home crowd by defeating Jermaine Wattimena 10–6 to advance to the last eight. Pikachu took full advantage of Wattimena’s doubling woes, punishing the Dutchman’s missed opportunities throughout.

Both players held throw in six visits to start, before Pietreczko produced a stunning 164 checkout on the bull to break and move 2–1 up. He consolidated for 3–1, and though Wattimena rescued one leg via double four, Pietreczko maintained control and led 6–4 at the second interval after capitalising on more missed darts from his opponent.

After the break, Wattimena’s struggles continued. He squandered six darts at double in the next leg, and Pietreczko punished him mercilessly with a brilliant 125 checkout — bull, single bull, bull. Wattimena did respond with an 87 finish, but Pietreczko took two of the next three legs with tidy 80 checkouts to move 9–6 ahead. When Wattimena left himself 126 in the final leg and couldn’t find a way out, Pietreczko cleaned up 48 to complete the victory and seal his place in the quarter-finals.