Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen were both made to work for their spots in the 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship quarter finals.

On the last day of darting action in 2024, the remaining six round ties were contested, in the battle to join former World Champions Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price in the last eight.

Premier League and Grand Slam champion Littler was pushed all the way by Ryan Joyce, but eventually came out on top in a deciding set. It was the same scoreline for three time former winner van Gerwen, who saw off Jeffrey De Graaf to move into the last eight at Alexandra Palace for the 11th time in his career.

Elsewhere on day 13 of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship, both Chris Dobey and Callan Rydz came through final set deciders, while Nathan Aspinall and Stephen Bunting cruised past their opponents.

Littler and MvG remain on course at World Darts Championship

Littler and Joyce was the last match of the night and the darting year, but the two served up an utter classic at Ally Pally to close out 2024.

The Nuke took the opening set, but missed bullseye for a 130 to go two in front in the deciding leg. Joyce took advantage, pinging an excellent 116 to level.

That set up a pattern, where no one who had the darts in the set won it. The pair traded 3-1 sets to level the contest at 2-2, before Littler again won a set 3-1, this time in the fifth, to go 3-2 up.

The sixth set went to a decider. The Nuke missed a match darts at tops allowing Relentless, who’d missed darts to level in the previous visit, pinged double 16 to a huge roar inside the Palace and force a decider.

Littler then stepped up in the seventh. While not the record breaking average from his round two game against Ryan Meikle, he still averaged 111, breaking in the opening leg. Two holds of throw later, he found double 12 to complete victory in a gripping contest.

Van Gerwen also was pushed by surprise opponent Jeffrey De Graaf, eventually getting over the line 4-2.

MvG dropped just one leg in the opening two sets, before De Graaf did the same in the next two sets, levelling the match at 2-2.

However, The Green Machine returned to form in set five, winning the set in just 43 darts. At the start of the sixth, he then found a 126 outshot to break the De Graaf throw, before finding double three 35 darts later for the whitewash sixth set and the match.

Joy for North East and Dobey and Rydz win deciders

Despite Joyce losing to Littler, it was still a decent day for North East darts, as both Chris Dobey and Callan Rydz made the Paddy Power World Darts Championship quarter finals within three hours of each other.

Dobey played first in the afternoon session against Kevin Doets, in a match that featured 73 missed darts at a double. Hollywood went 2-1 in front, before missing five darts for the fouth set and a 3-1 advantage. Hawkeye eventually pinged tops for a 65 and to level.

The fifth went to another decider, where after Dobey missed another one of 45 darts for the set, Doets pinged an astonishing 130 outshot to go in front. Dobey though fought back, pinging double eight for a 3-1 sixth set and to take the match all the way.

The Dutchman broke at the start of the seventh, but 49 darts later, Dobey hit double 10 for his third straight leg and the deciding set, ending a cracking contest that featured 17 180s. It’s the third straight year Dobey has reached the last eight at Alexandra Palace.

Rydz, who came into his game against Welshman Owen as the only player to not drop a set in the tournament, was forced into a battle to reach the last eight for the second time at the World Darts Championship.

It was Stat Attack who started the better of the two, winning the opening two sets. The third went to a decider, but Owen missed three chances to take a 3-0 lead. The Riot capitalised, hitting 46 to cut the deficit in half and get a foothold in the contest.

This was the catalyst for some outstanding arrows from Rydz, who won the next three sets to go within one. Owen though would not lie down, winning the sixth stanza to force a deciding set.

Both broke at the start of it, before Stat Attack crucially missed tops for a 116 outshot to go in front. Rydz, who’d hit a 171 the previous visit, pinged double 14 for a 13 dart break. After both missed darts for the fourth leg, The Riot found double 10 to end another quality game.

Aspinall and Bunting produce whitewash victories

On paper, Aspinall’s game against Pietreczko was the game of the day. In practice, it was anything but.

Pikachu could not find any sort of rhythm, as he hit just a 78.46 average with two maximums. The Asp took full advantage, as he won 12 of the 14 legs played, hitting six 180s in the process.

The highlight of the game came in leg three of the fourth set, when Aspinall pinged a 131 outshot on two tops to go within one of the contest. 16 darts later, he hit double 10 to move into his first quarter final since 2020.

Bunting also won his round four game without dropping a set, as he despatched Luke Woodhouse for his third last eight appearance in five years.

The Bullet was ruthless on the checkouts, hitting over 40% and dropping just three legs. Despite a fabulous 150 checkout from Woody in the third set, he could not convert his chances.

Bunting’s highest checkout was a 121 shot to take the first set. 12 legs later, he found double 18 to complete the whitewash and move into the last eight.

2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Day 13 Results

Monday 30 December

Afternoon Session

3x Round Four

Chris Dobey 4-3 Kevin Doets

Callan Rydz 4-3 Robert Owen

Nathan Aspinall 4-0 Ricardo Pietreczko

Evening Session

3x Round Four

Stephen Bunting 4-0 Luke Woodhouse

Michael van Gerwen 4-2 Jeffrey de Graaf

Luke Littler 4-3 Ryan Joyce