The Sports Guru
Defending a world title starts with the first leg, not the trophy lift. Luke Littler treated Saturday's opener at the Winter Gardens like a formality once he found his range, while Stephen Bunting discovered the hard way that Blackpool rarely lets anyone through easily. Here is how day one of the World Matchplay unfolded.
Luke Littler fired in an average of 109.53 to open the defence of his World Matchplay title in emphatic fashion on Saturday, beating Germany's Niko Springer 10-6 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Stephen Bunting needed considerably longer to get through his own opener, surviving match darts before edging Niels Zonneveld 13-12 in a marathon decider.
Littler finds another gear
Debutant Springer held the world number one to a level game into the second break, the match locked at 5-5. Then Littler found the accelerator, winning five of the next six legs to dismantle the German like a man late for his own party. He averaged over 123 across the final six legs alone, a number that belongs to a different contest to the one Springer had been competing in.
"It felt good. It felt very nice," said the 19-year-old from Warrington. "The first five legs were okay and then when I came back off the break I felt really good. It was bit annoying not going into the second break with the lead. Niko played his part but I found another gear and finished it off." He added: "I was playing some really good stuff. From leg 11 I was on 120 average which goes to show how well I was playing. If I get better I'll be happier." A defending champion promising to get better after a 109.53 average is either supreme confidence or simple honesty. With Littler, it is usually both.
Bunting's marathon
Stephen Bunting's night went the opposite way. The former Lakeside winner led Zonneveld 8-5 and looked comfortable, the kind of position a match is supposed to be won from. Instead 'Triple Z' mounted a stirring comeback, missing three match darts of his own before Bunting steadied himself to fire in an incredible 118 checkout to force a deciding leg. Bunting broke throw in that final leg to get over the line 13-12, a result that owed as much to nerve as to scoring.
It sets up a second round tie with Josh Rock, who made a winning start to his own Blackpool campaign for the second year running. Rock beat Luke Woodhouse 10-4 despite a sub-91 average, a scoreline built less on his own scoring than on Woodhouse's afternoon at the oche: 'Woody' missed 20 darts at double over the course of the contest.
"The two of us weren't firing on all cylinders but at the same time I'm very happy to have won," said the 25-year-old Rock. "This is one of my favourite venues. There was more in the tank tonight but it just didn't happen." Rock reached the semi-finals at the Winter Gardens last year, and made clear that memory alone will not satisfy him this time round. "I'm not here for the memories, I'm here to try and win this trophy more than anyone else."
What Sunday brings
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay continues at the Winter Gardens through to July 26, a 32-player field chasing the Phil Taylor Trophy, and Sunday's card is heavy with pedigree. Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen headlines the afternoon session against two-time quarter-finalist Andrew Gilding, while 2018 winner Gary Anderson makes his Winter Gardens return against Ryan Joyce. 2023 runner-up Jonny Clayton faces Damon Heta, and Chris Dobey meets Dirk van Duijvenbode to complete the afternoon.
The evening session is no less stacked. World number three Gian van Veen takes on newly crowned European Darts Open champion Krzysztof Ratajski, while 2007 champion and last year's runner-up James Wade clashes with Jermaine Wattimena. Wessel Nijman, a winner of eight PDC ProTour titles this year, plays five-time World Matchplay quarter-finalist Dave Chisnall, and World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle meets Blackpool debutant William O'Connor.
Between Littler's ruthlessness and Bunting's escape act, day one delivered both ends of what the Winter Gardens does best: a champion looking untouchable, and a crowd reminded that nobody in this draw is safe until the board says so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Littler averaged 109.53 in his 10-6 win over Germany's Niko Springer, having been held level at 5-5 into the second break before winning five of the next six legs. He averaged over 123 across the final six legs of the match, a surge that turned a tight contest into a comfortable win.
Bunting led Niels Zonneveld 8-5 before the Dutchman fought back and forced Bunting to survive match darts. Zonneveld himself missed three match darts before Bunting fired in a 118 checkout to force a deciding leg, then broke throw to win 13-12. The result sets up a second round tie against Josh Rock.
The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay runs from July 18 to July 26 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, with a 32-player field competing for the Phil Taylor Trophy. The tournament is live on Sky Sports throughout, with Sunday's card featuring Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Jonny Clayton and Gian van Veen among others in action.
Sources: Sky Sports.
