Luke Littler has surged into the World Darts Championship semi-finals thanks to a 5-1 battering of Brendan Dolan at Alexandra Palace. The ...
Luke Littler has surged into the World Darts Championship semi-finals thanks to a 5-1 battering of Brendan Dolan at Alexandra Palace.
The 16-year-old continues to be completely unfazed by the challenge of the biggest tournament in the sport, strolling past his experienced opponent who had already ousted Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price from this event.
Dolan actually started the game encouragingly by winning the first two legs but he fell away badly at the end of the opening set and could never find anything like his best form again.
Littler’s relentless brilliance made it all the more difficult for the Northern Irishman, with the teenager finishing the match with an average of 101.93, landing five 180s and hitting 47 per cent of his doubles. A brief dip in the fifth set saw him drop it to Dolan, but he responded well to get over the line in the sixth.
The Nuke has scarcely been troubled on his run to the semi-finals on debut, dropping just four sets in his five matches, with that quintet of victories guaranteeing him £100,000 already.
‘I’m in the semi-final on my debut!’ Littler told Sky Sports. ‘I’m glad to be here, I’ve earned it. My performances have gone well. I’ve thrown another ton-plus average, my doubles 47 (per cent), so it’s gone well today as well.
‘If I keep it up I’ve got a good chance [of winning the World Championship]. Now I am dreaming. I’m two games away. I’m definitely thinking about lifting the title.’
Next up for him is Rob Cross, the 2018 world champion who averaged over 100 in his epic 5-4 win over Chris Dobey in his quarter-final and someone who should be able to test the bafflingly good teenager.
Cross won the World Championship on his debut at the event, a prospect that is very much still alive for Littler, who would also become the youngest player ever to win the title if he could do it on Wednesday.
‘He was unbelievable on debut as well and so am I,’ Littler said of Cross. ‘I’m looking forward to playing Rob tomorrow.’
The last two quarter-finals take place on Monday night as Michael van Gerwen plays Scott Williams and Luke Humphries takes on Dave Chisnall.
