World Series of Darts Finals Friday Round-up | Luke Littler gets on wrong side of partisan Amsterdam crowd in heated triumph as clean sweep ambitions survive Noppert scare

The first round action has been completed at the World Series of Darts Finals. After the reigning champion, Michael van Gerwen, went out, it was the 2024 winner Luke Littler’s turn as he headlined the field with his clean sweep ambitions still on in Amsterdam.

The 19-year-old has not lost a match in a major event for almost a year. If Noppert was a bit more clinical, then that could have ended in the opening round of this event. However, Littler showed his class and advanced with a 6-4 victory, giving the crowd some throughout.

Littler flexed his muscles early as he began with a 14-dart hold. Noppert would not be a pushover, taking out 112 instantly after. He backed that up with a break of throw after Littler squandered efforts at tops. He made it three on the spin with a third clinical effort in the double 20 bed.

‘The Nuke’ ends the three-leg rot on double 10 before using that segment once more and gives some to the partisan crowd. For the first time since the opening leg, Littler led. Not for long as ‘The Freeze’ barged himself to 4-4 with both players finishing not at the level they expect. That was until Littler found the tops segment twice for a show-stopping 95 checkout to edge one from the match. He culminated with a 12-darter, and could not wait to get off the stage in a heated contest.

It looked like Brody Klinge’s World Series of Darts Finals debut would be over in record time. Gerwyn Price was flawless but still had to avert a comeback by his opponent to win 6-4. Price was in no mood to play around. He romped out into a 5-0 lead in rampant fashion. Four of the legs he had tops, and he pinned all of them the first time of asking. The other leg involved a marvellous 146 checkout right after Klinge went bust on 64. The Aussie would fight back with checkouts of 104, 96 and 119. He closed the gap to just one leg, but it proved too much as the Welshman dragged himself over the line.

Jonny Clayton was nowhere near his best, but he still proved to be the most one-sided result of the night against Maik Kuivenhoven with a 6-3 scoreline. Clayton was not great on the outer ring but did not need to be as his opponent gave him nothing back, at least in the first four legs in which ‘The Ferret’ breezed into a 4-0 lead despite a number of missed doubles. Kuivenhoven finally mustered up a response, winning back-to-back legs to keep the Welshman on his toes. Clayton had numerous attempts to get over the finishing line and eventually did with the 2021 winner on the march.

James Wade is in brilliant form, but that is not how you would describe his or Damon Heta’s showing. ‘The Machine’ got the job done 6-5. An uncharacteristic start by the pair saw numerus darts at a double missed. Wade eventually took a break lead, but an instant response by Heta kept him involved. He should have made it three legs on the trot but more wasteful doubles proved costly. Another dreadful leg was won by Wade with both in the madhouse by the end of it. ‘The Machine’ grinded out a 5-3 lead, but he would not have it go all his way. He missed a match dart for a 144, and Heta broke back to force a dramatic 11th leg. It was Heta’s turn to miss a match dart on double seven, and Wade made it a round 10 consecutive wins on the bounce.

Nathan Aspinall is synonymous with a gruelling battle on the oche. He was in the midst of one against Raymond Smith, and managed to prevail 6-4. Aspinall began with a 13-darter, but soon found himself under the cosh thanks to a three-leg burst by his opponent. ‘The Asp’ survived a dart to go 4-1 behind to close the gap. The holds would continue until ‘The Guru’ made a hash of 78 and Aspinall had parity at 4-4. A terrific 106 checkout put him in pole position before getting the job done a leg later amid a missed dart by Smith to stay in contention.

Wessel Nijman got the full support by the home crowd as he managed to fend off Simon Whitlock 6-4. ‘The Wizard’ began with some magic in the form of a 150 checkout to break. Nijman instantly got the match back on throw before a streak of consecutive holds of throw saw Nijman lead 4-3. He would finally break the persistent Whitlock with an 80 checkout on double five, but three missed match darts allowed Whitlock to break back. Not to worry, as Nijman pinned double 18 in the next leg to book his spot in the second round.

Motomu Sakai made history in a thriller against Callan Rydz in the Dutch capital, coming out on top in a 6-5 thriller. The match began with some quality. A brace of 11-dart breaks, Rydz getting on the board first, before the sole Asian representative won four legs on the spin to blast clear. Sakai was loving life on stage, but he would be reeled in by Rydz who got level at 4-4. He broke to throw for the match, but Sakai fought back and with a terrific final leg, became the first Japanese player to win in the World Series of Darts Finals.

Adam Leek looked certain to waltz his way into the second round, but a resilient comeback by Jim Long flipped the script as he survived a match dart to win 6-5. It started so well for Leek. A first break on the board was followed by back-to-back 15-darters. 74 checkout in two continued the Aussie’s perfect doubling showing to lead 4-0. However, doubles missed for a 108 and 111 checkout invited Long back into the contest. He ticked off four legs on the spin to get level, which was responded by a no-look 180 by Leek. He then took out 140 for a 12-darter in a spectacular leg of darts. Long would have the last laugh, surviving a match dart before pinning tops a leg later to advance.