Littler Wins Wattimena Thriller But Van Gerwen Goes Out

Luke Littler survived a existent scare earlier fighting backmost to hit Jermaine Wattimena 13-11 successful a thriller to scope nan World Matchplay quarter-finals successful Blackpool, but three-time champion Michael van Gerwen is retired aft conclusion to Josh Rock.

World champion Littler looked retired of sorts astatine Winter Gardens arsenic he slipped 4-0 and past 7-2 down against Dutchman Wattimena.

After pulling 1 limb backmost instantly earlier nan 2nd break, a intelligibly fired up Littler fto retired a roar of delight and gestured to nan crowd that he was not going location conscionable yet.

Littler returned from nan break reinvigorated, winning six legs successful a row, but Wattimena rediscovered his composure and nan 2 players traded blows to nonstop nan crippled to a necktie break

Littler missed 2 lucifer darts arsenic nan nerves began to show, but aft making nan 3rd he erstwhile again roared successful ceremony and pointed to nan prima connected his shirt, which signifies his World Championship victory.

"When I pointed to nan prima connected my shirt, I'm a world champion for a reason, I find these gears erstwhile I request it," Littler told Sky Sports.

"I've not felt unit for illustration that since nan first information of nan World Championship. I was a spot tense and it's connected to my 3rd crippled here, I've won 2 of them.

"I want to get backmost connected shape and correct now I can't hold to beryllium successful nan quarter-final."

Van Gerwen made a flying commencement against Northern Ireland's Rock, taking nan opening limb pinch a 150 checkout earlier surging into a 5-1 lead.

Rock narrowed nan crippled to 6-4 astatine nan 2nd break only for Van Gerwen to move into a 9-6 lead and seemingly connected nan brink of victory.

But Rock fought backmost again and nan momentum to swung successful his favour erstwhile a superb 152 checkout trim Van Gerwen's lead down to one, earlier winning nan adjacent 2 legs to return nan lead for nan first time.

Van Gerwen needed a 138 checkout to enactment successful nan crippled and make it 10-10, but Rock held his nervus successful a tense necktie break.

"I kept my emotions, I think, passim nan game. I don't cognize what was going connected but I sewage into nan crippled astatine nan end," he told Sky Sports.

"One of nan astir dramatic, my bosom was pumping passim nan full game. The accent has yet gone. What a game."

Gerwyn Price stormed into nan quarter-finals pinch an 11-3 thrashing of England's Chris Dobey,

Welshman Price, who was progressive successful an angry confrontation pinch Daryl Gurney successful nan erstwhile round, averaged 108.7, deed 8 180s and had a 146 checkout successful a ascendant performance.

"It was fantastic. In nan mediate portion of nan crippled I felt for illustration I couldn't miss," he told Sky Sports. "I put Chris nether a batch of pressure. I deliberation he still played beautiful decent successful patches.

"I deliberation early connected we were some flying and I was conscionable pipping him connected a mates of legs, astir apt disheartened him a small bit. It's a bully crippled for me."

Andrew Gilding group up a gathering pinch Littler aft nan erstwhile UK Open champion hit Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode 11-5 to scope nan past 8 of nan World Matchplay for nan 2nd successive year.