Teenage sensation Luke Littler powered into his third consecutive PDC World Championship final with a dominant victory over Ryan Searle, setting up a mouth-watering showdown against European champion Gian van Veen at Alexandra Palace.
The 18-year-old world champion once again underlined why he is considered one of darts’ brightest stars, producing a stunning performance to defeat the 20th seed 6-1, while Van Veen edged past two-time champion Gary Anderson in an unforgettable semi-final classic.
Littler Continues Remarkable Alexandra Palace Run
Littler extended his extraordinary record at the PDC World Championship by coming from a set down to overwhelm fellow Englishman Ryan Searle, averaging an impressive 105.35 in a one-sided semi-final.
The victory means Littler remains unbeaten before a World Championship final at Alexandra Palace and has now won all 11 major ranking semi-finals he has contested. He is just the fourth player in history to reach three consecutive PDC World Championship finals, joining elite company alongside Phil Taylor, Dennis Priestley, and Gary Anderson.
Should Littler lift the trophy again, he would also become only the fourth player to win back-to-back PDC world titles, something Anderson last achieved in 2015 and 2016.
Speaking after the match, Littler told BBC Radio 5 Live:
“I’m very happy with tonight – the doubles, the finishing, the high scoring. It could have been a bit better, but I’m happy to make it three consecutive finals.”
Searle Shows Promise, But Littler Proves Too Strong
Ryan Searle made an encouraging start in his first-ever World Championship semi-final, taking the opening set with clinical finishing despite Littler firing in a 105 average and a 10-dart leg.
However, Littler’s relentless scoring soon took control of the match. An 11-darter drew him level before a pivotal moment in the third set, when Searle opened a leg with a costly 15, allowing Littler to seize momentum he never relinquished.
The teenager hit 10 maximum 180s and produced a 110 checkout while averaging over 105 again in the fourth set. His finishing was particularly impressive, boasting a 58.8% checkout success rate, with double 20 proving especially reliable.
Littler also came agonisingly close to a first World Championship nine-darter, twice starting legs with six perfect darts. On one occasion, he was even punished by Searle, who responded with a spectacular 170 checkout.
Despite the defeat, Searle’s strong run marked a career milestone, while Littler progressed to the final and climbed to eighth in the world rankings.
Van Veen Stuns Anderson in Semi-Final Thriller
While Littler cruised through, the second semi-final delivered one of the most thrilling matches in recent PDC World Championship history, as Gian van Veen defeated his childhood idol Gary Anderson 6-3.
Anderson started strongly, winning the opening set with a 104 average, but any nerves Van Veen may have had quickly disappeared. The 23-year-old responded with a 10-darter and an astonishing 113.35 set average, including a 117 checkout, to level the match.
What followed was darts of the highest quality. Both players traded heavy scoring, big checkouts, and relentless pressure. In a sensational fifth set, Anderson hit a 170 checkout and averaged 117.44, yet still lost the set as Van Veen matched him with a 170 finish of his own and averaged 111.46.
The veteran Scot rallied with the crowd firmly behind him, winning two sets in a row to close the gap to 4-3. However, Van Veen held his nerve, recovered from missed opportunities, and closed out the match with a composed 13-dart leg.
Van Veen Makes History for Dutch Darts
Van Veen’s victory made him just the third Dutchman to reach a PDC World Championship final, following Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen.
Remarkably, he had never won a match at the World Championship before this tournament, making his run to the final all the more extraordinary.
“To be in the World Championship final is not even a dream coming true,” Van Veen said.
“I wasn’t able to dream about this. Now it’s happened and I’m so happy.”
PDC World Championship Final Details
Semi-final Results
- Luke Littler 6-1 Ryan Searle
- Gian van Veen 6-3 Gary Anderson
Final
- Luke Littler (1) vs Gian van Veen (10)
The PDC World Championship final will be played on Saturday at 20:00 GMT, with the match contested over a best-of-13-sets format, promising a dramatic conclusion to the tournament.
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