Thrilling opener in Amsterdam
World number one Luke Littler survived a nervy first-round encounter to see off Danny Noppert and advance at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. The match, played before a vocal crowd, produced several momentum swings before Littler ultimately prevailed.
Noppert pushed the favourite hard throughout, forcing Littler to withstand pressure at key moments to close out the victory. The contest was described as a thrilling affair, providing an early highlight of the tournament and underscoring the depth of competition on show.
The defeat ends Noppert's campaign at the event in the first round, while Littler moves on to the next stage with momentum, albeit after a scare that underlined how demanding the World Series field can be even for the top-ranked players.
The World Series of Darts Finals continues in Amsterdam with the remaining seeded and qualifying players competing for the title. Littler's resilience in the opening match will be watched closely as he bids to justify his top ranking in the later rounds.