Damon Heta defeated Chris Dobey in the Players Championship 4 final; James Wade beat Luke Littler in a last-leg decider during first round; watch the Premier League Darts every Thursday night up until the Play-Offs at London's O2 on Thursday May 23 - live on Sky Sports
Tuesday 20 February 2024 20:47, UK
Damon Heta produced an inspired mid-game burst to defeat Chris Dobey and claim Tuesday's Players Championship Four title in Leicester, where Luke Littler suffered a first-round exit.
Heta defeated Aden Kirk, Oskar Lukasiak and Luke Woodhouse to advance to the last 16 at the Mattioli Arena, where he registered a ton-plus average on his way to a 6-1 demolition of Jim Williams.
The Australian then accounted for Brendan Dolan in the quarter-finals, before demolishing Christian Perez 7-2 in the last four, winning seven of the last eight legs to triumph and reach the final.
Heta recovered from 3-0 down to stun Dobey in a high-quality final, reeling off seven consecutive legs - including four straight 12-dart legs - on his way to an 8-4 success and the £15,000 top prize.
"I really battled today," said Heta, who averaged 103.37 to become the fourth different winner in as many Players Championship events in 2024.
"I had no consistency in my game today until that final, where I went: 'Do you know what, you've done everything well today, just relax, trebles should be flowing, don't try so hard, it should just happen.'"
Dobey had recovered from 4-3 down to claim a deciding-leg victory against Darryl Pilgrim in his opener, then swept aside Callan Rydz before thrashing Michael van Gerwen 6-0 in the first of three consecutive wins against Dutch opponents.
The 33-year-old then held his nerve to edge out Peter Wright in a hard-fought semi-final showdown, producing a nerveless dart at double 10 to win through a last-leg shoot-out.
Wright continued his resurgent run with a second semi-final appearance on the ProTour in 2024, breezing past top seed Dave Chisnall before nailing a 114 finish to deny Scott Williams in the last eight.
Littler, who won on his Players Championship debut last week in Wigan, was beaten 6-5 by Wade in the opening round.
Wade took a two-leg lead with a crucial break of throw, then held his throw in the fifth leg to go 4-1 up.
Littler brought a leg back at 4-2 as he held his throw, back-to-back 140s in the seventh leg helping him to a break of throw before a hold secured three legs in a row and brought the clash to 4-4.
With the match then poised at 5-5, and Wade with the throw, he found a 140 followed by a 138 to eventually leave 10 for the match, which he took out for victory.
Wade was, however, unable to follow up the win as he bowed out in the next round after losing 6-4 to Czech 22-year-old Adam Gawlas.
Premier League Darts now heads to Newcastle's Utilita Arena next Thursday night.
Price stars on Night Four as he takes on Michael van Gerwen in a repeat of last year's final, while Littler faces Peter Wright, Michael Smith goes up against Nathan Aspinall, and Rob Cross battles world champion and No 1 Luke Humphries.
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Premier League Darts continues on Sky Sports on Thursday with Newcastle the next stop on the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday May 23. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW
