In the bustling arena of Sakhir, newly crowned world champion Luke Littler began his Bahrain Masters title defense impressively with a 6-3 victory against Lourence Ilagan. As he approaches his 18th birthday on January 21, the world number two demonstrated his prowess on the dartboard right from the start of the tournament.

Littler initially surged to a commanding 4-1 lead, yet Ilagan, the Filipino contender, fought back fiercely with consecutive legs, momentarily increasing the pressure on the young star. However, the turning point came with a spectacular 142 checkout in the eighth leg, which reestablished Littler’s dominance in the match. He maintained control and ultimately secured victory with a commendable average of 94.36.

The opening rounds of the Bahrain Masters unfolded with unexpected drama, as world number three Rob Cross faced a surprising defeat. Cross fell 6-3 to Paolo Nebrida, an underdog ranked 91 places lower. At 30 years old, Nebrida made history by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a match in the World Series, sealing his victory with a decisive double top.

Meanwhile, world number one Luke Humphries exhibited precision and skill, achieving an impressive average of 103.66 and hitting all six of his doubles to demolish local player Abdulla Saeed with a clean 6-0 sweep. The enthusiasm from the crowd was palpable as Asian and PDC players clashed in thrilling first-to-six-legs matches.

Other players showcasing their talent included Welshman Gerwyn Price, who triumphed 6-3 over Hong Kong's Lok Yin Lee, and debutants Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey, who advanced confidently by defeating Nitin Kumar of India 6-2 and Bahrain's own Basem Mahmood 6-0 respectively.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes are set on the upcoming quarter-finals:

• Luke Humphries (Eng) vs Nathan Aspinall (Eng)
• Stephen Bunting (Eng) vs Chris Dobey (Eng)
• Luke Littler (Eng) vs Gerwyn Price (Wal)
• Paolo Nebrida (Phi) vs Peter Wright (Sco)

As the excitement builds, the Bahrain Masters promises more thrilling moments on the darting stage, solidifying its place in the hearts of fans worldwide.