Luke Littler is on the verge of making darts history, standing just one victory away from claiming the world number one ranking for the very first time. The 18-year-old superstar staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Josh Rock and book his place in the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals in Wolverhampton.

Littler, the defending champion and current world champion, delivered another high-quality performance as he fought back from 9-6 down to secure a 16-12 win. Producing an impressive 105.18 match average, he once again showed why he is considered one of the sport’s most electrifying rising talents. With this victory, he is now positioned to overtake Luke Humphries at the top of the global rankings—provided he reaches the final.

A Comeback That Showcased True Champion Mentality

Josh Rock, ranked world number 10, pushed Littler hard in the opening stages. Rock moved into an early 3-2 advantage with a clinical 84 checkout and later extended his lead to 7-6 after capitalising on a missed double from Littler in the 14th leg. Rock continued to pressure the Englishman, breaking throw and building a 9-6 cushion.

But once again, Littler demonstrated the resilience and composure that have defined his rapid ascent in professional darts. The teenager erupted with a dominant seven-leg burst, surging ahead 13-9 and shifting the entire momentum of the contest. Even after missing three darts at double 10 to close out the match, he held firm and sealed the win with authority.

The quarter-final produced fireworks on the scoring front as well. Littler fired in 11 maximum 180s, while Rock responded with 12 of his own, helping him achieve a strong 101.46 average despite the defeat.

Semi-Final Showdown Set for Sunday

Littler’s next challenge will come from Dutch ace Danny Noppert, who claimed a 16-8 victory over Germany’s Lukas Wenig. The pair will meet in Sunday’s semi-final, with all eyes on whether Littler can complete his run to the world number one spot.

In the other semi-final, fellow Englishman Luke Humphries will take on Welsh star Gerwyn Price, adding even more intrigue to the tournament’s climactic final stages.

Fans can follow live text coverage of the semi-finals and final from 13:00 GMT on Sunday, 16 November, via the BBC Sport website and app.