Littler Nine-darter Helps Him Into Final With Wade

7 hours ago

Luke Littler gives a motion aft hitting a nine-darter against Josh Rock

Frank Keogh

BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Luke Littler deed a spectacular nine-darter arsenic he overcame Josh Rock 17-14 to group up a World Matchplay last against James Wade connected Sunday.

The 18-year-old world champion was trailing 6-1 earlier completing nan feat to contradict Rock – who had deed 2 180s – nan chance to do truthful himself.

With 15 cleanable darts, it tin laic declare to beryllium nan top limb successful nan history of nan tournament.

"It decidedly sparked maine into life. I didn't want to springiness it large because I was playing awfully," said nan teenager.

Littler's chap Englishman Wade, 42, reached his seventh Matchplay last pinch a 20-18 triumph complete Wales' Jonny Clayton successful an epic brushwood astatine Blackpool's Winter Gardens.

The teen will purpose connected Sunday to go only nan 5th subordinate to triumph nan Triple Crown, aft Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries.

Littler is looking to seal nan treble successful small much than a year, eyeing Matchplay glory having won nan Premier League successful May 2024 earlier his World Championship triumph successful January.

"I've won galore finals and fields but this is nan large 1 now, it each comes down to Sunday," he said.

That imaginable looked improbable arsenic 24-year-old Rock, a World Cup victor pinch Northern Ireland, came retired firing and opened up a 5-0 lead successful nan first session.

But past came Littler's superb nine-darter, which evoked memories of darts' top limb erstwhile Michael Smith did nan aforesaid successful nan 2023 World Championship last aft Van Gerwen conscionable missed pinch his ninth dart.

"That is nan second-best limb you will ever spot successful your life," said Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle.

It whitethorn person only been greeted pinch a motion from Littler but it prompted him into a much-improved performance, and from 8-4 down he won 7 of nan adjacent 8 legs to spell 11-9 successful front.

Rock deed consecutive checkouts of 170 and 120 to adjacent nan spread to 14-12 but Littler prevailed successful a lucifer wherever he averaged 107.5 to his opponent's 104.15 and edged nan 180 count 15-14.

Earlier, Wade was 1 limb distant from triumph astatine 16-10 earlier Clayton reeled disconnected six successive legs to unit overtime.

"I'm conscionable done, I'm exhausted. I dream everyone enjoyed themselves because I hated each azygous infinitesimal of it," said Wade

Wade wins 38-leg epic against Clayton

Wade has made nan last six times previously, pinch his sole triumph coming 18 years ago.

There was small motion of nan thriller that was to travel arsenic he started his semi-final strongly, taking retired nan bull for a 161 checkout to unfastened up a 3-1 lead.

Clayton repeated nan move successful nan 12th limb but it was only to peg backmost his force astatine 8-4.

Arguably nan champion subordinate ne'er to triumph nan world championship, Wade remained successful power until he was 1 limb away, past dramatically mislaid nan adjacent six arsenic Clayton drew level astatine 16-16.

Wade could person been forgiven for buckling nether Clayton's momentum, but nailed different 161 to separator up again and, though his force levelled astatine 17-17 and astatine 18-18, he yet clinched a memorable triumph pinch abrupt decease looming.

The Englishman edged it 101.79 to 100.97 connected nan averages, pinch a 55.6% checkout occurrence rate.