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Michael van Gerwen produced a stunning performance and still lost in the latest feat of darts sensation Luke Littler at the Czech Open.
Van Gerwen produced a staggering 112.19 average during their quarter-final, a figure higher even than the record for a World Championship final of 110.94 set by Phil Taylor in 2009.
But the Dutchman was still crushed by Littler, whose average of 110.57 coupled with finishing of 46 per cent, against Van Gerwen’s 16 per cent conversion, set up a huge 6-1 victory.
Van Gerwen’s losing average was the highest in European Tour history and afterwards he posted a picture jokingly strangling his conquerer.
This is 𝗻𝗼𝘁 gonna happen again. 😤🤣 Fantastic game by @LukeTheNuke180 what a talent. All the best. 👊 pic.twitter.com/eCRlYw9Mjn
— Michael Van Gerwen (@MvG180) October 20, 2024
It followed brilliance from Littler in the first two rounds after he beat Austria’s Damon Heta with a 116.51 average, breaking the tournament record he set in the first round to beat Nathan Aspinall, with eight 180s.
But Littler’s luck ran out in the semi-finals where he was beaten by world champion Luke Humphries 7-4. Humphries then thrashed Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts 8-1 to win the title in Prague.
“I think I played a solid game,” Humphries said. “When I played Ritchie Edhouse in my first game I felt good but I felt like I needed a spark. It kind of did happen today. I felt that spark again. I still want to change something, I still know there’s another level in me that can get better.
“Luke (Littler) was probably one of the fantastic players of the tournament. But I knew I could beat him. I’ve done it many times and I believed in myself. It’s a nice way to cap off what hasn’t been my best ProTour year.”
