Day 15 preview, order of play and predictions as Littler eyes another finale

1735883798_2HD5BBT-1-min.jpg


Luke Littler is just one game away from reaching the World Darts Championship final and Stephen Bunting is standing in his way.

Littler, 17, put in an impressive performance to beat Nathan Aspinall in the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day.

Now he faces Bunting, who eliminated two-time champion Peter Wright in his last match.

Wright, who previously replaced Luke Humphries, had been vocal about his ability to challenge the top players.

However, Bunting put an end to these ambitions and had a showdown with Littler, last year’s losing finalist.

For Littler, this year brings additional pressure. He admits expectations are higher now compared to his breakthrough performance last season.

“Obviously Michael (van Gerwen) has been there many times, Chris is in his first, I’m in my second and I know Bunting is in his first or second, I think, so it’s going to be a good evening,” Littler said .

“I’ve felt so good so far in this tournament, so hopefully I can regroup and come back and it can be the same feeling.”

“We all know the expectations and they are very different than last year. But tonight I felt my best and I hope I can collect myself and have the same feeling I did on this stage.”

Van Gerwen gave strength before the showdown with Dobey

Michael van Gerwen will start the semi-final against Chris Dobey on Thursday.

The Dutchman, a three-time world champion, was quick to dismiss Dobey’s recent comments before the game.

Dobey had claimed it might be “a bit easier” to face Van Gerwen in the quarter-finals than fellow Bedlington native Callan Rydz. Van Gerwen, who got past Rydz on the previous lap, didn’t hesitate to respond.

“People talk a lot of nonsense when they win,” said Van Gerwen.

“Dobey is a very interesting player to play against because he can produce something really good. So you always have to make sure you keep your own fire going because he’s a good player.”

Van Gerwen is aiming for his fourth world title and will compete in his ninth world championship semi-final. However, it has been a few years since he won at Alexandra Palace; his last triumph came in 2019.

Notably, 2024 was the first year since 2011 that Van Gerwen failed to win a televised tournament. When asked about reclaiming the title of “King of the Palace,” he remained confident but realistic.

“That would be nice. People probably know the answer, but no, it’s a tough question. It’s a tough fight, but I love taking on battles and as long as I continue to believe in my own abilities, the king will come back.”

Thursday evening schedule

The semi-finals begin at 7:30 p.m. Van Gerwen takes on Dobey before Littler takes on Bunting in what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the penultimate phase of the World Darts Championship.

Michael van Gerwen against Chris Dobey

Luke Littler vs Stephen Bunting

Here’s how to watch

The PDC World Championship will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.

You can watch the semi-final on Sky Sports Darts and Main Event from 7:30pm GMT.

Predictions

With only four players left in the tournament, Ally Pally is now truly anyone’s game.

Van Gerwen is the favorite in the first game of the evening. The Dutchman is playing his best darts of the year, but Dobey is certainly no pushover.

If Van Gerwen can come out on top with a strong start, it is very hard to imagine his challenger coming back and beating him.

As for the main event, Littler will be feeling the pressure more than ever. He’s a fan favorite, but so is Bunting. The crowd will be cheering for both sides on this card.

The 17-year-old was sensational against Aspinall and made it look easy in the quarter-finals. He’s expected to progress to another final, but if he deviates even slightly from his game, Bunting will be there to strike.





Source link

Spread the love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *