Luke Littler downs Michael van Gerwen to win inaugural Saudi Darts Masters title

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/littler-luke/0URN6Xks/"]Littler[/a] made the stronger start to the match, quickly racing into a 4-0 lead in which he checked out 132 among other highlights, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]van Gerwen[/a] struggled to find his rhythm early on and fell short of his usual standards.[/p][p]From the fifth leg onwards, however, the Dutchman began to settle, checking out 121 to break back before capitalising on a missed double from Littler to narrow the gap to 3-4.[/p][p][b]Match Centre: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/littler-l-0URN6Xks/van-gerwen-m-SU4UkKsm/?mid=0W49Nccm"]Michael van Gerwen vs. Luke Littler[/a][/b][/p][p]Three more breaks followed, including a 115 checkout from Littler, putting "The Nuke" 6-4 ahead. The world champion, who averaged 104.84, never let that lead slip and sealed the match by checking out 50 as Van Gerwen’s average of 101.79 and a late 12-darter with a 108 checkout were not enough to change the outcome.[/p][embed guid="c138a660-8121-4a29-86a6-01ad252e1d03" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2013703127690584161" social-type="twitter" /][p]Just as in Bahrain, Littler began the tournament against the experienced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lim-paul/zTyH3B2p/"]Paul Lim[/a], whom he once again defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/lim-p-zTyH3B2p/littler-l-0URN6Xks/?mid=p0l94SeK"]6-1[/a]. That was followed by a repeat of the World Championship final against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-veen-gian/jgT1AT29/"]Gian van Veen[/a] – once again, the world champion came out on top, this time [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/littler-l-0URN6Xks/van-veen-g-jgT1AT29/?mid=04rd7ywS"]6-4[/a] with an average of 111.58. In a close semi-final, he edged out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/littler-l-0URN6Xks/price-g-8dDDoW0B/?mid=pEyBOfkA"]Gerwyn Price[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-gerwyn/8dDDoW0B/"]7-5[/a], who had beaten "The Nuke" just the day before.[/p][p]Van Gerwen also started well, beating Indian player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kumar-nitan/v9cfloZD/"]Nitin Kumar[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/kumar-n-v9cfloZD/van-gerwen-m-SU4UkKsm/?mid=pOWeeOI6"]6-1[/a] in his opening match, but his average dropped to just under 88 in the quarter-final [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/bunting-s-xANKMtPG/van-gerwen-m-SU4UkKsm/?mid=ARymGyoJ"]6-4[/a] win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a]. The three-time world champion then produced a much-improved performance in the semi-final, beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aspinall-nathan/KURJJrU5/"]Nathan Aspinall[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/aspinall-n-KURJJrU5/van-gerwen-m-SU4UkKsm/?mid=APIwY1Na"]7-5[/a] with a 100.28 average.[/p][h2]Leung secures Asia’s only win[/h2][p]Of all the Asian players competing in Riyadh, only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leung-man-lok/bi97bfqi/"]Man Lok Leung[/a] managed to notch a victory. After all eight Asian Tour representatives were knocked out in the first round in Bahrain, the man from Hong Kong defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noppert-danny/YmMfGEz0/"]Danny Noppert[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/leung-m-l-bi97bfqi/noppert-d-YmMfGEz0/?mid=4Qncg2mJ"]6-3[/a].[/p][p]The Dutchman later explained on Instagram that he had [b]"been ill for the past few days"[/b] and that it was [b]"noticeable"[/b] on Monday.[/p][p]The other seven first-round matches were one-sided – no Asian player managed to win more than two legs, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toylo-alexis/SCHc0Vr9/"]Alexis Toylo[/a] beaten [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/darts/price-g-8dDDoW0B/toylo-a-SCHc0Vr9/?mid=WWvqH5uQ"]0-6[/a] by Price.[/p]