Luke Littler narrowly avoided a first-round exit at the Winmau World Masters, surviving a match dart in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Mike De Decker. Littler, who has dominated the darts scene with six major titles in the past year, faced a major scare in his tournament opener at Arena MK. Despite missing a nine-darter by just one dart, Littler showcased resilience by fighting back from a 2-1 deficit to win the final set 2-0.

The match was a rollercoaster for Littler, who posted a 98.62 average and fired seven maximums. De Decker, who missed a crucial match dart, pushed the 19-year-old to his limits. Defending champion Luke Humphries and Josh Rock also secured 3-1 victories, while Stephen Bunting and Danny Noppert won by the same margin. Littler's win sets up a second-round clash with Ross Smith, adding to the anticipation.

Littler's performance underscores his status as a rising star in darts, despite the challenges he faced. His ability to recover from setbacks will be crucial as he continues his quest for the World Masters title. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if Littler can maintain his momentum and add another major trophy to his impressive collection.