Luke Littler advances in Belgian Darts Open as top seeds eliminated

Defending champion Luke Littler advanced to the third round of the Belgian Darts Open, defeating Ryan Searle 6-3 despite being below his best, averaging 94.36 to Searle's 95.48. Littler's efficiency on doubles was key, achieving a checkout percentage of 42.9% compared to Searle’s 25%. In a major upset, world number one Luke Humphries and three-time champion Michael van Gerwen were eliminated in earlier rounds, with Humphries losing 6-4 to local favorite Mike De Decker. De Decker, who averaged 100.45, faced a tough match against Humphries, who struggled with an average of just 92.61. Other notable results included Gerwyn Price's 6-2 victory over Gian van Veen and Luke Woodhouse's impressive win against Gary Anderson, setting up a clash with Littler. The tournament continues with several top players still in contention.