Luke Littler continues his impressive run in the New Zealand Masters, securing a place in the quarter-finals after a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Mark Cleaver. The 18-year-old darts sensation, who recently claimed the World Matchplay and Australian Masters titles, showed resilience despite not being at his best. Littler, who averaged 95.60, will now face Mike De Decker in a rematch of last week's final in Australia.

Meanwhile, Luke Humphries, the defending champion, began his title defense with a 6-3 win over Haupai Puha. However, Humphries admitted to being out of form, stating, "I'm out of sorts and out of form. I don't think I've had one good game in two months." Despite his struggles, Humphries remains optimistic about bouncing back.

In other matches, Stephen Bunting advanced with a 6-3 victory over Ben Robb, while Gerwyn Price narrowly defeated Jonny Tata 6-4, missing a chance at a nine-darter. The quarter-finals promise thrilling encounters, with Damon Heta set to face Humphries and Josh Rock taking on Price.

Saturday's Schedule:

• Quarter-finals (Best of 11 legs)
  • Stephen Bunting v Chris Dobey/Simon Whitlock
  • Luke Humphries v Damon Heta
  • Gerwyn Price v Josh Rock
  • Luke Littler v Mike De Decker
• Semi-finals (Best of 13 legs)
• Final (Best of 15 legs)

Stay tuned for more updates from the NZ Masters as the competition heats up!