The Alexandra Palace erupted with drama beyond the oche as world number one Luke Littler delivered a stunning victory and a furious riposte to sections of the crowd during the PDC World Darts Championship last-16.
Littler's Triumph Tempered by Crowd Reaction
The 18-year-old sensation, Luke Littler, secured a place in the quarter-finals with a 4-2 win over former champion Rob Cross, posting an impressive average of 106.58 and landing 17 maximums. However, the match was overshadowed by the audible booing directed at 'The Nuke' from parts of the capacity crowd, who largely backed the underdog Cross.
Visibly irritated during his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Littler turned to the audience and stated: "I'm not bothered, I'm not bothered, really, I'm not bothered. Can I just say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and pay for my prize money so thank you for money, thank you for booing me!" He later admitted in a press conference that he had lost his cool on stage, but argued any player would have reacted similarly.
Heartbreak for Surprise Package Manby
Elsewhere in the tournament, 20-year-old Charlie Manby continued his fairytale run, defeating Ricky Evans 4-2 to reach the last-16 despite not holding a PDC Tour card. The Huddersfield-born bricklayer, however, revealed a personal disappointment, saying he was "heartbroken" that his girlfriend could not attend his third-round match due to work commitments.
"You want your close family there. My girlfriend's not here today, that was heartbreaking enough," Manby explained. He found solace in the presence of his 78-year-old grandfather in the crowd, which he said meant more to him than anything.
Rock Issues Title Warning
Northern Ireland's Josh Rock also advanced convincingly, beating Callan Rydz 4-1 to set up a last-16 clash with Justin Hood. The 24-year-old, now considered among the tournament favourites, sent a defiant message about his ambitions. "I'm not here to make up the numbers – I'm here to win the title," Rock declared to Sky Sports.
With just four days remaining until a new champion lifts the Sid Waddell Trophy and the £1 million prize, the atmosphere at Ally Pally is reaching fever pitch. The tournament has delivered a potent mix of high-quality darts, emerging stories, and raw emotion as it enters its decisive phase.
