Luke Humphries and Jonny Clayton got here via jittery last-leg shootouts whereas Luke Littler superior regardless of being removed from his finest because the eight elite PDC gamers all progressed to the quarter-finals of the Nordic Darts Masters.
World No 1 Humphries – taking part in his first match since successful his maiden Premier League title somewhat over every week in the past – pipped Latvia’s Madars Razma 6-5, firing in a most after which a match-clinching checkout of 125 within the deciding leg in Copenhagen.
Razma had fought again from 5-2 down amid 4 missed match darts from Humphries, who will face defending champion Gerwyn Value within the final eight on Saturday night after the Iceman noticed off Norway’s Cor Dekker 6-3 within the second match of the evening.
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Jonny Clayton survived two match darts to advance in Denmark
Clayton – who registered a roof-raising 170 end – had an excellent nervier time than Humphries, surviving two missed match darts from Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas and squandering 4 of his personal, earlier than he pinned D5 to e book a last-eight date with prime seed Stephen Bunting, a 6-3 winner over Oskar Lukasiak.
Littler progresses after sluggish begin
The final 16 pitted eight family PDC names in opposition to an octet of Nordic and Baltic stars, with reigning world champion Littler the firmest of favourites as he battled Sweden’s Viktor Tingstrom.
Nonetheless, The Nuke was sluggish to get going, averaging within the 70s throughout the opening two legs, earlier than an upturn in type included a 12-dart break within the seventh leg and noticed him ultimately prevail 6-3.
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Luke Littler was not at his finest as he made the final eight in Copenhagen
Nonetheless, paltry visits of 30 and 9 contributed to Littler averaging solely 90.19 and he’ll most likely want to enhance in his quarter-final in opposition to Nathan Aspinall, who whitewashed Danish crowd favorite Benjamin Reus 6-0.
Aspinall – the winner of the European Darts Open in Germany final week – was closely booed by the house followers however put in a stellar show of ending, together with one checkout of 138 after which one other of 92 after ending with successive D18s.
Reus missed all 5 of his makes an attempt at a double and is but to win a leg within the historical past of this event, having now been swept in all 4 of his matches.
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Nathan Aspinall whitewashed residence favorite Benjamin Reus 6-0 on Friday evening
The final quarter-final will pit Chris Dobey in opposition to Rob Cross, with the previous beating Jeffrey de Graaf 6-2 and the latter seeing off Andreas Harrysson 6-4 within the opening spherical.
Harrysson, who picked up notable wins over former world champions Raymond van Barneveld and Michael Smith in Leverkusen final week, gave Cross a stiff take a look at, earlier than Voltage sealed victory by hitting back-to-back D18s.
Nordic Darts Masters – round-one outcomes
Chris Dobey 6-2 Jeffrey de Graafgerwyn Value 6-3 COR COVER ROB CROSS 6-4 Andreas Harryssonluke Humphries 6-5 Madars Razmanathan Aspinall 6-0 Benjamin Reusluke Littler 6-3 Viktor Tingstromstephen Bunting 6-3 Labanauskas
Remaining Nordic Darts Masters schedule
Quarter-finals (from 6pm, Saturday)
Stephen Bunting vs Jonny ClaytonLuke Littler vs Nathan AspinallRob Cross vs Chris DobeyGerwyn Value vs Luke Humphries
Semi-finals and last to observe
Watch the World Cup of Darts on Sky Sports activities
The World Cup of Darts, from June 12-15 in Frankfurt, is reside on Sky Sports activities as Humphries and Littler look to retain the title for England, after Humphries and Michael Smith triumphed final yr.
The World Matchplay in Blackpool is then reside on Sky Sports activities from July 19-27, with Humphries out to defend his crown after beating Michael van Gerwen 18-15 within the 2024 last on the Winter Gardens.
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