World Darts Championship live: Luke Littler targets third consecutive final

The teenager deserves praise as he is on an unstoppable bid to become the first man since Gary Anderson a decade ago to retain the world title.

Few can live with him, and for others, the scary thought is that Littler still has more gear to find before his final four games with Ryan Sale.

Despite some pantomime boos as he made his way to the stage, the overall response was positive and he was reassured by a rendition of “There’s only one Luke Littler” before the game.

“It’s a new year, so there’s a new audience,” he said. “There were a few boos here and there, but when I walked on stage the crowd was in absolute disbelief. Before that, my family and friends were like, ‘Whatever happens, happens’.

“As soon as I got on stage, I applauded everyone so they knew I wanted them to be on my side again. They were on my side tonight and I got the job done.”

“I don’t think it will have an impact. I’m growing mentally as a player and I know how to deal with it. The Rob Cross game definitely tested me and I’ll know how to deal with it in future games.”

Luke Littler had a perfect night at the World Championships, bringing the Alexandra Palace crowd back on board in the semi-finals before seeing his biggest rival Luke Humphries crash out.

Littler was booed violently during his fourth-round win over Rob Cross, further infuriating fans when he rudely thanked them for paying him a huge bonus.

The 18-year-old defending champion said he “prepared for the worst” in his quarter-final clash with Krzysztof Ratajski but took matters into his own hands with a 5-0 victory after a masterful performance.

He then watched his great rival – and biggest threat to the title – Humphries lose 5-1 to Gian van Veen, making him the favorite for back-to-back titles.

Good evening and welcome to live coverage from the penultimate night at Alexandra Palace and the exciting line-up for the semi-finals of the World Darts Championship.

Reigning world champion and world number one Luke Littler will advance to his first World Championship semi-final, defeating Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals to face 38-year-old Ryan Searle.

Next up is a fiery clash between one of the sport’s rising stars, Gian van Veen, and three-time world champion Gary Anderson, who is looking to turn back the clock and win his third title a decade after last lifting the trophy.