Luke Littler triumphed over his friend Nathan Aspinall to secure the last place in the semi-final of the PDC World Darts Championship.
The 17-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the title last year, delivered an impressive performance, winning 5-2.
Littler, widely considered the favorite to win the tournament, will now face Stephen Bunting in the semi-final. Bunting earned his spot by defeating two-time champion Peter Wright by the same scoreline 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 the previous rounds, fourth-seeded Littler started strong, winning the first set in just four minutes with an average of 118.
Despite Aspinall’s efforts to stay in the game – remarkable given his elbow and wrist injuries this year – he couldn’t keep up with Littler.
Littler recorded 15,180 during the match and is on track 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.
A performance by Luke Littler 💪 pic.twitter.com/84H0ASE10A
– PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
Bunting defeats Wright
Stephen Bunting delivered an outstanding performance against Peter Wright to secure his place in the semi-final.
Wright, a two-time world champion in 2020 and 2022, entered the match on the strength of a solid victory over defending champion Luke Humphries.
However, Bunting looked unstoppable, taking a 4-0 lead before Wright managed to get two sets back with a check-out of 133.
Bunting sealed the match with an average of 95 and led the crowd in a jubilant chant of “Let’s go mental Bunting” after his victory.
Reflecting on his victory, Bunting said: “In the back room I felt really nervous, nervous. Peter Wright is a big fan favorite, a big friend of mine, and he’s my son’s favorite player, so I feel sorry for my son.
The victory will propel Bunting to fifth place in the world after the tournament.
The second of our semi-finals takes place…
Littler 🆚 Bunting
Who will make 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 against Callan Rydz, winning 5-3.
The Dutch star, seeking his first world title since 2019, held off Rydz in a high-quality encounter characterized by exceptional scores from both players.
Rydz, who had 17 180s and an average of 103, pushed Van Gerwen throughout the match. However, Van Gerwen delivered under pressure, finishing with an average of 103.
“Games like this give you so much joy,” Van Gerwen said. “He gave everything and constantly put pressure on me. My game is in a good position, but that 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 completes lineup for semi-finals
Chris Dobey came back from two sets down to defeat Gerwyn Price 5-3 and advance to his first semi-final.
Despite a slow start, Dobey turned things around by winning four straight sets.
Despite missing five darts to secure a 5-2 victory, Dobey kept his composure to win the match with a spectacular double-double.
“I’ve never been as nervous as I was today about throwing a game-winning double,” Dobey said. “I’m just happy I did it and got the win.”
The first of our semi-finals is set… 🙌
Michael van Gerwen will face Chris Dobey for a place in the final. pic.twitter.com/p0F05nHpeX
– PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
