Luke Littler saw off a determined display from Ross Smith to close out a 4-1 victory as he marched into the quarter-finals of the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes – before defending champion Luke Humphries hit a nine-dart finish as he battled past Luke Woodhouse.
World champion Littler – who had survived a match dart before edging past Mike De Decker 3-2 on Friday night – looked in the mood as he claimed the first set with a 116 average.
Former European champion Smith landed two maximums at the start of the second set, but then busted his 59 finish, allowing Littler back in to pinch the leg when he took out 84 on the bullseye before a 13-dart hold saw him swiftly secure a 2-0 lead.
It remained one-way traffic as Littler landed another maximum at the start of the third set before moving through the gears to go 3-0 up after nailing double top.
Smith stopped the rot with a hold at the start of the fourth set. After Littler then failed to take out 85 for the match – slipping his second dart into treble one – Smith then hit double 12 to get on the board heading into the interval.
Another clinical 120 finish saw Littler hold in the opening leg of set five, before Smith showed great composure to land a 101 checkout and force a decider.
After Smith put some pressure on with a 138 to leave tops, Littler dug in to finish off 92 on double eight to take his place in the quarter-final.
Littler goes on to play Josh Rock after the Northern Irishman beat Rob Cross 4-1 in the opening match of the evening session to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
“It was far better than last night, that is what I had to do against Ross,” Littler said on ITV4. “The stats go to show that he had a brilliant game once again, but I am glad to get through.”
Looking ahead to finals day, as he targets a first Masters title, Littler added: “Obviously it (winning the tournament) is on my mind, but you have got to beat the board, beat your player and take it game by game.”
It was, though, anything but smooth sailing for Humphries despite delivering a perfect leg to win the second set 2-0 as Masters debutant Woodhouse produced a thrilling fightback.
The match looked all but over after Humphries moved 3-1 ahead, only for Woodhouse to produce a run of maximums which kept him in the contest after breaking to take the fifth set.
Woodhouse then looked on the brink of a remarkable comeback after holding his nerve to force a deciding set, which Humphries eventually clinched after missing match darts before taking out 54 on double 10.
“I would rather win the game and not hit a nine-darter than hit a nine-darter and lose, so I am just glad I did both,” said Humphries. “It was a really close game.”
Former Masters champion Stephen Bunting, though, is out after a 4-0 defeat by Dutchman Danny Noppert, who won eight of the nine legs.
In Saturday’s afternoon session, World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen came from behind to see off Nathan Aspinall 4-2.
Gerwyn Price recovered from 2-0 down to beat compatriot Jonny Clayton in a last-set decider.
James Wade also fought back to edge past veteran Gary Anderson 4-3 while former Masters winner Chris Dobey held off Damon Heta to progress in a deciding set.
