Dutch darts legend Raymond van Barneveld and teenage star Luke Littler impressed on the opening night of the Jack’s World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, securing their spots in the second round. Van Barneveld, a fan favorite at AFAS Live, dominated his match, defeating Johan Engstrom 6-0, while Littler edged out Ross Smith 6-5 in a nail-biting contest.
Van Barneveld’s clinical performance saw him hit three 180s and limit Engstrom to just two double attempts, much to the delight of the home crowd. Reflecting on his match, he acknowledged the pressure of performing in front of home fans but looked ahead to his highly anticipated rematch against Littler. The pair previously met in the 2023/24 World Championship, where Littler claimed victory.
Littler, who averaged an impressive 103.3, showed resilience by coming back from 5-3 down to win in a deciding leg with a double ten finish. Speaking after the match, Littler expressed his determination ahead of facing his childhood hero Van Barneveld once again.
Other first-round results included Michael van Gerwen’s 6-4 win over Jonny Clayton and Danny Noppert’s 6-3 victory over Gian van Veen. Van Gerwen will now face Noppert in a rematch of their 2019 final. The tournament continues on Saturday evening, with the final scheduled for Sunday.
