2 days Ago
Littler booked his place in a second consecutive World Championship final with a sensational 6-1 success against Stephen Bunting, averaging over 105 to maintain his quest for glory. Van Gerwen defeated Chris Dobey by the same scoreline in the opening semi-final, and now the two darting titans will renew their rivalry for the sport’s biggest prize on Friday evening. However, Littler stole Thursday's headlines with a magical display against Masters champion Bunting, as he moved a game away from darting immortality in the capital.
"I have gained loads of experience over the last year," claimed Littler, who boasts a tournament average of 102 across his five matches. "Michael has been in numerous finals; this is only my second, but I know where I went wrong last year, and I'm sure I will fix it. "It would mean everything to lift this title, but my only focus right now is winning seven sets tomorrow night.
" Bunting averaged over a ton in a contest littered with quality, although he had no answer for Littler’s relentless brilliance, as the 17-year-old raced into a commanding four-set buffer. St Helens star Bunting opened his account with a battling rearguard in set five, although any hopes of a famous fightback were quashed when Littler landed a brilliant 84 on the bull to lead 5-1 in sets. The Warrington wonderkid produced more magic in the closing stages, landing a majestic 170 checkout in the penultimate leg to wrap up another inspired display.
"I felt very confident tonight. The best I felt was against Nathan in the quarter-finals, but I'm just glad I'm playing with such belief," Littler continued. "I'm hitting the right shots when I need to.
Stephen was right behind me throughout the game, so I couldn't afford to step off the gas." Van Gerwen, meanwhile, stormed into his seventh World Championship semi-final with a 6-1 demolition of Dobey in the evening’s opener. The Dutch superstar averaged almost 99, landed eight 180s and produced a trio of ton-plus checkouts to cap off a dominant display and maintain his remarkable record at Alexandra Palace.
“I have only got to the final and the final means nothing. I want to win and that’s the only thing that counts for me,” declared the three-time World Champion. “For me the total package has to be right, and the train is still moving that way which is a good thing.
“My experience could be really important, but I haven’t won anything yet. We are still far away!” Following a rip-roaring start from Van Gerwen, Dobey squandered three darts to level proceedings in a dramatic climax to set two, although he responded with a brilliant clean sweep in the third. The Bedlington star landed a magical 170 checkout during this spell, but Van Gerwen was unflappable, winning 12 of the next 16 legs to book his place in Friday’s final.
“I think I did the right things in the most important moments,” reflected Van Gerwen, who is bidding to lift the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time in six years. “Whether it was finishing or scoring in the right moments, that’s where I put Chris under pressure and that helped me win this game today.” Phil Taylor is the only player to have won more World Darts Championship titles than Van Gerwen, who is hoping to add to his victories in 2013/14, 2016/17 and 2018/19 on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, having succumbed to Luke Humphries in last year’s showpiece, Littler is bidding to create further history by becoming the sport’s youngest ever World Champion. The tournament is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers). 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
Thursday January 2. Semi-Finals. Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Chris Dobey (3-1, 3-2, 0-3, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-1).
Luke Littler 6-1 Stephen Bunting (3-2, 3-1, 3-2, 3-1, 1-3, 3-2, 3-1). Friday January 3. Final (1930 GMT).
Luke Littler v Michael van Gerwen. Best of 13 sets..
