Littler sets up Bunting’s semi-final as Dobey takes on Van Gerwen
Luke Littler triumphed over his friend Nathan Aspinall to secure the final spot in the semi-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship.
The 17-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the title last year, delivered a confident performance and won 5-2.
Littler, widely considered favorite to win the tournament, will now face Stephen Bunting in the semi-finals. Bunting secured his place by defeating two-time champion Peter Wright by the same score of 5-2.
In the second semi-final on Thursday, Michael van Gerwen, three-time world champion, will face Chris Dobey.
Littler’s dominance remains
After showing some nerves in previous rounds, fourth-seeded Littler started strong, taking the first set in just four minutes with an average of 118.
Despite Aspinall’s efforts to stay in the game – notable given his struggles with elbow and wrist injuries this year – he couldn’t keep up with Littler.
Littler scored 15 180s during the match and is on pace to become the tournament’s youngest ever winner. The current record holder, Michael van Gerwen, was 24 years and nine months old when he won his first title in 2014.
An appearance by Luke Littler 💪 pic.twitter.com/84H0ASE10A
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
Bunting defeats Wright
Stephen Bunting delivered an exceptional performance against Peter Wright to secure his place in the semi-finals.
Wright, a two-time world champion in 2020 and 2022, entered the game with a strong win over defending champion Luke Humphries.
However, Bunting seemed unstoppable and took a 4-0 lead before Wright managed a 133 checkout to take two sets back.
Bunting sealed the match with an average of 95 and led the crowd in a cheering chant of “Let’s go Bunting mentally” after his win.
Speaking about his win, Bunting said: “In the backroom I felt really nervous and jittery. Peter Wright is a huge fan favorite, a great mate of mine and my son’s favorite player, so I feel sorry for my son.”
With the win, Bunting moves up to number 5 in the world rankings after the tournament.
The second of our semi-finals is…
Small 🆚 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 from an exciting quarter-final duel against Callan Rydz and won 5:3.
The Dutch star, seeking his first World Cup title since 2019, held off Rydz in a high-class encounter with exceptional goals from both players.
Rydz, who hit 17 180s and averaged 103, pressured Van Gerwen throughout the game. However, Van Gerwen delivered under pressure and finished the game with an average of 103.
“Games like this bring you so much joy,” said Van Gerwen. “He gave everything and constantly put me under pressure. My game is at a good level, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
One of the truly great quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace… 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PeUAlgvXZc
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
Dobey completes the lineup in the semifinals
Chris Dobey came back from two sets down to beat Gerwyn Price 5-3 and move into his first semi-final.
Despite a slow start, Dobey turned the game around by winning four sets in a row.
Despite missing five darts to win 5-2, Dobey kept his composure and won the game with a spectacular double-double finish.
“I’ve never been as nervous throwing a winning double as I was today,” Dobey said. “I’m just glad I did it and got the win.”
The first of our semi-finals is… 🙌
Michael van Gerwen will compete against Chris Dobey for a place in the final. pic.twitter.com/p0F05nHpeX
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
