Luke Littler kicked off his campaign at the Machineseeker European Championship with a solid 6-3 victory over Willie O'Connor in Dortmund. The young talent aims to complete his collection of major titles, having already achieved significant success in his first two years.

Littler's performance included six 180s, setting up a highly anticipated second-round clash against Nathan Aspinall. The teenager, who has not competed since a surprising loss at the World Youth Championship, expressed his focus on this tournament, stating, "This is the next one after the World Youths, so I knew how much time I would have off."

Having taken time off to practice and refine his technique, Littler mentioned he adjusted his grip and throw during the break, which has helped him maintain focus and improve his game. He added, "I hit a nine-darter the other night on DartCounter as well, so I was like... 'I think I will stay with this until something does go wrong'."

In a shocking turn of events, Michael van Gerwen was eliminated from the tournament after a 6-3 defeat to Dutch player Kevin Doets. Doets, reflecting on his win, stated, "It was a tough game... He didn't play like he can, but I'm really happy to win."

Ryan Joyce also faced disappointment, losing 6-3 to Jermaine Wattimena after arriving in Dortmund without his luggage.

The tournament continues with crucial matches on Saturday, including Gian van Veen against Luke Woodhouse in the afternoon and the highly anticipated match between Littler and Aspinall in the evening session.