Luke Littler triumphed over friend Nathan Aspinall to secure the final place in the semi-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship.
The 17-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the title last year, produced a commanding performance, winning 5-2.
Littler, widely regarded as the favorite to win the tournament, will now face Stephen Bunting in the semi-finals. Bunting won his place by beating two-time champion Peter Wright by the same score of 5-2.
Thursday’s second semi-final pits three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen against Chris Dobey.
Littler’s dominance continues
After showing some nerves in earlier rounds, fourth seed Littler got off to a strong start, closing out the first set in just four minutes with a 118 average.
Despite Aspinall’s efforts to stay in the match – remarkable given his struggle with elbow and wrist injuries this year – he couldn’t keep up with Littler.
Littler recorded 15 180s during the match and is set to become the youngest winner of the tournament. The current record holder, Michael van Gerwen, was 24 years and nine months old when he won his first title in 2014.
Some performances by Luke Littler 💪 pic.twitter.com/84H0ASE10A
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
Bunting beats Wright
Stephen Bunting produced an excellent performance against Peter Wright to secure his place in the semi-finals.
Wright, a two-time world champion in 2020 and 2022, came into the fight off the back of a strong win over defending champion Luke Humphries.
However, Bunting appeared unstoppable, leading 4-0 before Wright managed to win two sets with a 133 check out.
Bunting sealed the match with an average of 95 and led the crowd in a jubilant “Let’s go Bunting mental” chant after his win.
Reflecting on his win, Bunting said: “In the back room I felt really nervous, fired up. Peter Wright is a massive fan favourite, a great mate of mine and he’s my son’s favorite player, so I feel sorry for my son.”
Victory will move Bunding up to No. 5 in the world after the tournament.
The second of our semi-finals has been set…
Littler 🆚 Bunting
Who will make it to the Final? pic.twitter.com/PqX90G48MS
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
Van Gerwen survives Rydz
Michael van Gerwen emerged victorious in a thrilling quarter-final clash against Callan Rydz, winning 5-3.
The Dutch star, seeking his first world title since 2019, held off Rydz in a high-quality encounter that saw excellent scoring from both players.
Rydz, who hit 17 180 and averaged 103, pushed Van Gerwen throughout the match. However, Van Gerwen performed under pressure, finishing with a 103 average.
“Games like this give you so much joy,” Van Gerwen said. “He gave everything and pushed me constantly. My game is in a good place, but it doesn’t mean anything yet.”
One of the truly great quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace… 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PeUAlgvXZc
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
Dobey rounds out the semifinal lineup
Chris Dobey came back from two sets down to beat Gerwyn Price 5-3 to reach his first semi-final.
Despite a slow start, Dobey turned the match around winning four straight sets.
Despite missing five darts to secure a 5-2 win, Dobey kept his cool to finish the match with a spectacular double-double finish.
“I’ve never been more nervous about hitting a game-winning double than I was today,” Dobey said. “I’m happy that I did it and got the win.”
The first of our Semi-Finals has been set… 🙌
Michael van Gerwen will face Chris Dobey for a place in the final. pic.twitter.com/p0F05nHpeX
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
