Luke Littler is just one match away from reaching the World Darts Championship final, with Stephen Bunting standing in his way.
17-year-old Littler produced an impressive performance to dispatch 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 had earlier ousted Luke Humphries, had been vocal about his ability to challenge the top players.
However, Bunting put an end to those ambitions, setting up a showdown with Littler, last year’s beaten finalist.
For Littler, this year brings added pressure. He acknowledges that expectations are higher now compared to his breakthrough run last season.
Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey booked their spots in the Paddy Power World Darts Championship semi-finals on Wednesday.
Recap & reaction from a thrilling day of quarter-final action at Ally Pally! 📝👇
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
“Obviously, Michael (van Gerwen) has been there numerous times, Chris is in his first, I’m in my second, and I know Bunting, I think, is in his first or second, so it’s going to be a good night,” Littler said.
“I felt the best I have in this tournament so far, so hopefully I can regroup and come back again and it can be the same feeling.
“We all know the expectation, and it’s very different from last year. But tonight, I felt the greatest, and hopefully I can regroup and feel like I did on that stage.”
📰 Table Of Contents
Van Gerwen fuelled ahead of Dobey showdown
Michael van Gerwen will kick off Thursday’s action in the semi-finals against Chris Dobey.
The Dutchman, a three-time world champion, was quick to dismiss Dobey’s recent comments ahead of the match.
Dobey had claimed that facing Van Gerwen in the last four might be “a bit easier” than playing Callan Rydz, a fellow Bedlington native. Van Gerwen, who swept past Rydz in the previous round, wasn’t shy in responding.
New Year’s Day at the Palace. ✅#WCDarts pic.twitter.com/SubbcdffE0
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
“People, when they win, they talk a lot of nonsense,” Van Gerwen said.
“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 maintaining your own fire and everything because he’s a good player.”
Van Gerwen is chasing his fourth world title and will appear in his ninth World Championship semi-final. However, it has been a few years since he tasted victory at Alexandra Palace, with his last triumph coming in 2019.
Notably, 2024 marked the first year since 2011 in which Van Gerwen failed to win a televised tournament. When asked about reclaiming the ‘King of the Palace’ title, he remained confident but realistic.
“That would be nice. People probably know the answer, but no, it’s a tough one. It’s a tough battle, but I love to face battles, and as long as I keep believing in my own ability, then the King will come back.”
Thursday Night Schedule
The semi-final action begins at 7:30pm, with Van Gerwen taking on Dobey before Littler faces Bunting in what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the penultimate stage of the World Darts Championship.
Michael van Gerwen vs Chris Dobey
Luke Littler vs Stephen Bunting
The Luke Littler fan club had a few familiar faces tonight… ☢️ pic.twitter.com/3ZM4hkEdRi
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
How to watch
The PDC World Championship is being screened on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can watch the semi-finals on Sky Sports Darts and Main Event from 19:30 GMT.
Predictions
With only four players left in the tournament, it is really anyone’s game at Ally Pally now.
In the first match of the night, Van Gerwen is the favourite. The Dutchman is playing his best darts of the year but Dobey is certainly no pushover.
If Van Gerwen can get out and ahead with a strong start, it is very difficult to imagine his challenger coming back and beating him.
As for the main event, Littler will be feeling the pressure more than ever. He is a fan favourite, but so is Bunting, The crowd will be cheering for both sides on this card.
The 17-year-old was sensational against Aspinall, making it look easy in the quarters. He is favoured to advance to another final, but if he is even slightly off his game, Bunting will be there to pounce.
