World number one Luke Littler recovered from a slow start to beat Ricardo Pietreczko 10-6 and book his spot in the last eight of the Players Championship Finals in Minehead.

Littler – who overtook rival Luke Humphries at the top of the rankings on the way to victory in last week’s Grand Slam of Darts – had seen off Ross Smith 6-3 during the afternoon session with another impressive match average of 102.

The 18-year-old continued to build his momentum against Germany’s Pietreczko – who had earlier edged out Gary Anderson in a last-leg decider – as he came from 3-1 behind to take control at 8-5 ahead with a brilliant 121 finish after hitting two bullseyes.

Having dug in to make the last eight, world champion Littler, who again returned a 102 average despite a slow start, has his sights fi

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