Luke Littler Battles Past Krzysztof Ratajski to Reach UK Open Quarter-Finals
Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler wasn’t at his brilliant best in his UK Open last-16 clash against Krzysztof Ratajski, but he dug deep to secure a 10-8 victory and book his spot in the quarter-finals at Butlin’s Minehead Resort.
Littler, who let a commanding lead slip, will now face Dutchman Gian van Veen in the first quarter-final match on Sunday at 1pm (live on ITV4).
A Fast Start and a Nervy Finish
The match began with Ratajski breaking Littler in the opening leg, but the 18-year-old responded in style, leveling in just 12 darts before taking a 2-1 lead—keen to finish quickly so he could catch his beloved Warrington Wolves playing Wigan Warriors in Las Vegas.
Ratajski’s six missed doubles proved costly, as Littler capitalized to break again and extend his lead. By the first interval, the world champion held a comfortable advantage and looked in control.
However, Ratajski refused to back down. After holding throw, he watched Littler fire in an 82 checkout to reassert his dominance. A 92 finish from ‘The Nuke’ stretched his lead, but Ratajski broke back to stay in the contest at 6-3.
Ratajski Fights Back
As Littler’s level dipped, Ratajski surged, holding throw and breaking once more to level the match at 6-6. The Polish ace punished Littler for missed doubles, and despite only scoring 28 with his first three darts of one leg, he still managed to complete a four-leg winning streak.
Littler stopped the rot at 7-6, but Ratajski held his nerve, finishing 77 to keep things close.
With the score tied at 8-8, Littler had another shot at a 170 checkout in the 18th leg. He hit two treble 20s but missed the bullseye. Fortunately for him, Ratajski failed to capitalize, allowing Littler to clean up and seal a hard-fought 10-8 win.
Quarter-Final Showdown Awaits
With the win, Littler advances to Sunday’s quarter-finals, where he will take on Gian van Veen in the opening match. The rising Dutch star edged past Damon Heta 10-9 in a tense encounter.
Sixth Round Results:
- Michael Smith 10-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Luke Littler 10-8 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Luke Humphries 10-2 Ryan Joyce
- Josh Rock 10-6 Rob Cross
- Jonny Clayton 10-4 Martin Schindler
- James Wade 10-8 Rob Owen
- Gian van Veen 10-9 Damon Heta
- Nathan Aspinall 10-8 William O’Connor
Quarter-Final Schedule (Sunday, March 2 – Afternoon Session, 12:45 GMT):
Quarter-Finals (Best of 19 Legs):
- Gian van Veen vs. Luke Littler – 1:00 PM
- Josh Rock vs. Nathan Aspinall – 2:00 PM
- Jonny Clayton vs. Michael Smith – 3:00 PM
- James Wade vs. Luke Humphries – 4:00 PM
Littler now has his sights set on surpassing last year’s quarter-final finish and adding yet another major title to his growing resume.
