Grand Slam of Darts 2024 LIVE RESULTS: Luke Littler pulls off an epic comeback to seal a last-8 spot – updates
LUKE LITTLER has booked his spot in the Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finals after seeing off Mike de Decker in an epic last-16 tie.
The Nuke survived a match dart to knock out the Belgian in Wolverhampton.
Heavy hitters Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Luke Humphries all suffered early exits.
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Tomorrow's fixtures
Then it is the return of Littler and Co on Thursday night in the second set of last-16 ties.
- Anderson vs Bunting
- Littler vs De Decker
- Van Veen vs Joyce
- Wattimena vs Van den Bergh
What is coming up today?
It is the first set of last-16 matches from just after 7pm tonight.
Matches are best of 19 legs - or first to ten - for the second round.
Here is who plays today:
- Noppert vs Mansell
- Wade vs Menzies
- Lukeman vs R Smith
- Edhouse vs Cross
'I felt dead relaxed'
Littler will face Mike De Decker in the last 16 after De Decker crushed Michael Smith 5-0 in their winner-takes-all final group-stage match.
The Nuke, 17, said: "I was relaxed. I knew I had qualified.
"The important thing was to win and go three out of three in the group.
“I felt dead relaxed and enjoyed that.
"I know if I do hit another one then it’s a record.
“I know if I play well, I can feel it coming. It didn’t go then – I’ll try again next time.”
Littler added: "I did quite a lot with the crowd because I knew I was through but in the next round I'll need to focus on the game. I'll always get the crowd involved.
"I just thought to myself, 'Let's have some fun.'"
Luke had a look
Luke Littler maintained his 100 per cent Grand Slam of Darts record.
But he missed out on a history-making fifth nine-darter of the year.
The Nuke topped Group F with a 5-3 win over Filipino Lourence Ilagan at a packed house in Wolverhampton.
Littler, 17, averaged 102.05 to secure his third ton-plus average from the group stages.
At 4-2, he deliberately left 170 for the Big Fish - but was left with a wry smile when his opponent nailed a brilliant 148 checkout.
The tournament favourite could have sealed victory with a perfect leg but missed double 12 in leg eight before eventually stumbling over the line in the same leg after Ilagan missed tops.
Credit: Rex 
Credit: Rex How the drama unfolded tonight
What an evening of darts we had in Wolverhampton.
Here's how the results unfolded.
- Gary Anderson 5-2 Noa-Lynn van Leuven (G)
- Jermaine Wattimena 5-4 Mensur Suljovic (E)
- Luke Littler 5-3 Lourence Ilagan (F)
- Gian van Veen 5-4 Wessel Nijman (H)
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-1 Keane Barry (F)
- Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Ryan Joyce (G)
- Michael Smith 0-5 Mike De Decker (E)
- Stephen Bunting 5-2 Josh Rock (H)
Bunting 5-2 Rock
Stephen Bunting is the last man through to the last 16.
He beats Rock 5-2 and comes through a pulsating Group H which sees Rock and Nijman bow out.
He faces Gary Anderson next up - that will be on Thursday night.
Bunting 2-2 Rock
They remain on level terms.
The pressure is only cranking up and up now...
Bunting 1-1 Rock
Right, then, final match of the day.
Stephen Bunting vs Josh Rock for the final last-16 spot.
They split the opening two frames.
Smith 0-5 De Decker
Well, that didn't last long.
The former world champion is out - and without even a single attempt at a double.
Thrilling performance from Mike De Decker.
Demolition job.
Smith 0-4 De Decker
Oh wow.
Double 16 and that's the double break.
He took out 81 for a 12-darter and De Decker is on fire.
Smith, the No2 seed, has not even had a look at a double yet.
And a clutch D10 makes it 4-0.
Staggering darts.
Smith 0-2 De Decker
Michael Smith vs Mike De Decker in the penultimate match of the night.
And Smith drops his throw on the opening leg and quickly finds himself 2-0 down.
Van Gerwen 4-5 Joyce
A 171 gets Joyce to 174 and MVG has 112 left.
Joyce gets down to needing 80.
Van Gerwen can't close it out...
But Joyce can!
He has dumped out the three-time champion.
Van Gerwen 4-4 Joyce
Oooh so close.
MVG nearly checks out 158 with T20, T20 but then is millimetres away with the D19.
And Joyce makes him pay.
But the Dutchman comes fighting back and it's going into a deciding leg - MVG has the throw...
Van Gerwen 2-3 Joyce
MVG is pumped.
He is letting the emotion out as he roars his way back to 2-2.
But then he drops his throw and finds himself 3-2 down.
Van Gerwen 0-2 Joyce
Next up it is Michael van Gerwen vs Ryan Joyce - and again it is winner goes through.
And it is Joyce who makes the perfect start.
He breaks throw in the very first leg and then backs it up to lead 2-0.
Van Gerwen is in trouble here.
Van den Bergh 5-1 Barry
No he cannot.
Van den Bergh races away with it, in truth.
Van den Bergh 3-1 Barry
But since Barry took the opener, the Belgian has come roaring back.
He has ticked off the next three legs and suddenly leads 3-1.
Can Barry find a way back?
Van den Bergh 0-1 Barry
It is now essentially knockout darts in the remaining four matches of the group stages with the winners going through.
Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Keane Barry up first and Barry claims the opening leg.
Van Veen 5-4 Nijman
This is bonkers.
Thrilling stuff.
Nijman had chances to win at 4-2 and 4-3 but is pegged back to 4-4 but starts with a 180, the tenth of this high-quality match.
Van Veen then misses two match darts at tops.
Nijman goes bust needing double 4 to win! Absolutely incredible.
And Van Veen wraps it up. And breathe.
Nijman averaged nearly 108 in his three Grand Slam of Darts matches - and yet somehow lost all three.
Van Veen 1-3 Nijman
This is brilliant darts from both men.
Van Veen is averaging 107, Nijman, though, is averaging a whopping 121.
A 12-darter takes him to 3-1.
Van Veen 0-1 Nijman
Next up in Wolverhampton is the battle of the Dutch duo Gian van Veen vs Wessel Nijman.
Nijman starts with six perfect throws and looks to be on for a nine-darter.
He misses T20 with No7 but wraps up the opening leg against the throw in just ten darts.
Littler 5-3 Ilagan
Treble 20, treble 20, treble 20.
Treble 20, treble 20, treble 20...
The nine-darter is on...
Treble 20 - cheers!
Treble 19 - even more cheers!
Can he do it...?
No! He misses the double 12!
And then he misses double six twice and then double three as three match darts go begging.
Ilagan has a chance to level the match but just misses tops.
And Littler wraps it up with double three.
Five maximums on his way to a 5-3 victory and that's three wins from three in the Grand Slam of Darts group stages.
Littler 4-3 Ilagan
Littler deliberately makes 44 to leave 170 on the board.
Can he check out with the Big Fish?
Treble 20... 20. Bull.
That leaves tops. But can Ilagan do something about it?
He can! He checks out 148! Have some of that.
A wry smile from the youngster.
From Littler thinking he was about to have three match darts, there is now just one leg in it.
Littler 4-2 Ilagan
Oooh there it is!
A 12-dart leg from Luke Littler, finishing it off with a 130 checkout, sealed with bullseye.
4-2 he now leads.
Littler is orchestrating the crowd with his dart between throws.
Littler 3-2 Ilagan
Littler misses out on a 105 checkout but cleverly leaves himself with 40.
No mistake.
Back in front, the teen.