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Luke Littler’s wait for a record-breaking fifth nightly win of a single Premier League season goes on as Chris Dobey reigned on night 11 in Rotterdam.
Dobey took his first nightly win in two years with a 6-2 victory over Stephen Bunting, who saw off Littler in the semi-finals. After avoiding a scare to edge out Rob Cross 6-5, Littler fell 3-2 behind to Bunting and then drew the ire of the Dutch crowd when he spent time changing his barrels – to no avail, as Bunting charged into a 5-2 lead.
Littler celebrated pulling it back to 5-3 and it signalled a change of momentum as he came back to level things up. But in a tense deciding leg, Littler missed double nine when looking for a 138 checkout and Bunting made him pay as he advanced to the final against Dobey.
Few would have predicted a final between the two players who started the night last in the standings, but Dobey had looked strong all evening, opening with a 6-3 win over Luke Humphries, the world No 1, before dispatching Nathan Aspinall, last week’s winner, 6-2.
In the final, Dobey seized a 4-1 lead when Bunting blew his chance three times on double 19 to cut the deficit, effectively the end of his challenge as Dobey took full control for his first nightly win since the opening night of the 2023 season.
“It feels great to be back in the winner’s circle,” Dobey said. “I knew I could do it. It’s about performing on the night and three great performances, I’ve put myself back in the mix.
“I’m a fighter. I came through it. I’ve been in matches where I’ve been cruising and then ended up losing. It’s about getting myself back amongst the elite. I’m here to win and I never gave myself any doubt. I’m a fighter and I’ll be here until the end.”
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Bunting had begun the evening by dispatching Michael van Gerwen, the home favourite, who looked off his game from the start but rallied from 5-2 down to 5-5 before Bunting eventually advanced. Littler almost fell victim to Cross in the opening round. Cross had needed 150 to take the deciding leg but, after hitting successive treble 19s, he missed double 18 and Littler checked out 145 to snatch it.
