The Antwerp Expo in Belgium is electric with anticipation as the 2025 Flanders Darts Trophy reaches its thrilling conclusion on Sunday, August 31. Among the standout stars is 18-year-old Luke Littler, the reigning PDC World Champion, who has stormed into the third round of this, the tenth of 14 PDC European Tour events. After overcoming a recent dental ordeal and a dominant second-round performance, Littler is set to face Ryan Searle in a highly anticipated clash, aiming to add another chapter to his extraordinary 2025 season and claim the £30,000 top prize.
Littler’s journey to Day 3 began with a commanding 6-0 whitewash over Ireland’s Dylan Slevin in the second round on Saturday, August 30. Despite undergoing emergency dental surgery on Thursday to remove a troublesome tooth, which left him “in shock and shaken,” Littler showed no signs of rust. His performance was clinical, hitting 100% of his doubles and four 180s, a display that reaffirmed his love for Belgium, where he previously won the 2024 and 2025 Belgian Darts Open titles. “When I came up on stage, it just felt like home,” Littler said after the match. “I love coming here. I’m glad to play well tonight and now I can focus on tomorrow.” The victory, his first European Tour match since April, set the stage for a critical Sunday showdown.
On Day 3, Littler is scheduled to face Ryan Searle, the 16th seed, in the final match of the afternoon session’s third-round slate, expected to start around 4:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. BST, 10:30 a.m. EST). Searle, nicknamed ‘Heavy Metal,’ earned his spot with a dramatic 6-5 comeback win over Dutch legend Raymond van Barneveld, rallying from a 4-1 deficit. Littler holds the edge, having defeated Searle in July’s World Matchplay with a 10-2 rout, but Searle’s resilience makes this a potential banana skin. “I want to win here, but it’s only my first game,” Littler cautioned after his win over Slevin, tempering expectations while emphasizing his focus on maintaining his rhythm. A victory would propel him into the quarter-finals against the winner of Damon Heta and Ryan Joyce, with the evening session featuring the last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final in a best-of-11, 13, and 15-leg format, respectively.
The Flanders Darts Trophy, with its £175,000 prize fund, has already seen shocks. Defending champion Dave Chisnall fell 6-4 to Germany’s Leon Weber, while Michael van Gerwen was stunned 6-3 by compatriot Gian van Veen, who hit four 180s. Other big names, including Rob Cross and Peter Wright, also exited early, leaving Littler as a leading contender in a field missing Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Gary Anderson due to withdrawals. Local hopes rest on players like Mario Vandenbogaerde, who upset Michael Smith 6-5, and Mike De Decker, who faces Martin Schindler. Stephen Bunting, averaging over 107 in a 6-1 rout of Joe Cullen, and Josh Rock, who edged Karel Sedláček 6-5, also loom as threats.
Littler’s 2025 has been a whirlwind, with the World Championship, World Matchplay, and back-to-back World Series titles in Australia and New Zealand cementing his status as world No. 2. His record-breaking 140.91 set average against Ryan Meikle at the World Championship and 76 maximums earned him the Ballon d’Art trophy, showcasing his scoring prowess. Despite the physical setback of his dental surgery, which he described as leaving him in “pain for hours and hours,” Littler’s mental toughness has shone through. “Everyone knows I love Belgium and hopefully I can play my best darts,” he said, a sentiment echoed by the Antwerp crowd, which erupted for the 287 maximums thrown in 2024’s inaugural event.
As Littler steps to the oche against Searle, the darts world watches a player who, at just 18, has already rewritten record books. Experts like Kieran Wood and Mats Leering of DartsNews.com have pegged him as the favorite, citing his “unstoppable” form, though Josh Rock and Martin Schindler remain dark horses. With a potential path to the final requiring wins over seasoned campaigners, Littler’s blend of youth, precision, and resilience makes him the man to beat. Antwerp awaits another explosive performance from ‘The Nuke’ as he aims to light up the Flanders Darts Trophy.
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