Luke Littler brushes aside Mike De Decker at World Grand Prix

Luke Littler powered past defending champion Mike De Decker 3-0 to coast into the quarter-finals of the Boyle Sports World Grand Prix in Leicester.

World champion Littler swiftly settled in at the Mattioli Arena, taking the opening set 3-1 with a 98.95 average after De Decker had struggled to get up and running off the double start.

The Belgian, who had beaten Luke Humphries to win last year’s title, saw his lacklustre start continue in the second set as Littler capitalised to take an early 2-0 lead.

De Decker finally got a leg on the board with a hold after Littler spurned a couple of chances to put the set to bed, only for more wayward double attempts to allow the world champion to soon close things out 3-1 on his darts in the next.

Littler, who had beaten Gian van Veen in the last round despite the Dutchman averaging just over 106, remained on the front foot after taking the opening leg then breaking De Decker again before he fittingly wrapped up a comprehensive victory with a 170 checkout.

“It wasn’t that good of a game. Mike definitely didn’t turn up at his best, but I had to jump on it and take the lead early,” Littler said on Sky Sports.

“It (the tournament) is definitely brutal. We have seen some big shocks this year, but Mike didn’t turn up to his best there and I just had to do the job.”

Littler will next play Gerwyn Price after the Welshman demolished Josh Rock 3-0, hitting four 180s as he reeled off eight straight legs.

Jonny Clayton, who won the 2021 title, earlier continued his impressive run with a 3-1 win over Luke Woodhouse.

He will play Dirk van Duijvenbode in the last eight after the Dutchman swept past Daryl Gurney 3-0.