Luke Littler has emphatically booked his place in a third successive PDC World Darts Championship final, delivering a commanding 6-1 semi-final victory over Ryan Searle at Alexandra Palace on Thursday night.
A Commanding Path to the Final
The reigning champion, known as 'The Nuke', showcased his formidable talent despite a tricky start. The opening set went against the throw, but Littler quickly settled into a formidable rhythm. The pivotal moment arrived in the third set when Searle, nicknamed 'Heavy Metal', missed a crucial bullseye setup, hitting only the outer ring. Littler pounced on the error, checking out on double top to seize a decisive break of throw and take control of the contest.
From that point, Littler was relentless. He powered through the next two sets, consistently averaging over 100. His performance peaked in the fourth set with a stunning average of 109.98. Maintaining this high standard, he won another set without conceding a leg, his average sitting at a formidable 104.86.
Perfect Leg Denied and Crowd Reaction
The match featured a moment of high drama when Littler threatened a perfect nine-dart leg in the first leg of the seventh set. He was eight darts in before Searle spectacularly stole the leg with a brilliant 170 checkout, known as the 'Big Fish'.
The semi-final was played against a backdrop of notable crowd reaction. Littler, who had previously criticised spectators for booing him during his last-16 win over Rob Cross, was again met with a mixed reception. Unfazed, the world number one acknowledged all sections of the crowd as he walked on stage. In a post-match interview after his earlier match, he had sarcastically thanked fans for "paying for" his prize money, a reference to his role in boosting the sport's profile and prize funds. This year, the winner's cheque has risen to a record £1 million.
Awaiting the Final Challenge
With this dominant display, Luke Littler has secured his spot in Saturday's final. There he will face the winner of the other semi-final clash between veteran Gary Anderson and rising star Gian van Veen. Littler will be aiming to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy for the second year running, cementing his status as the sport's premier talent.
