Tonight saw semi-final action of the World Championship light up the Alexandra Palace stage.128 players had become four, and by the end of the night only two had booked their spots into darts’ biggest match.
SEMI-FINAL 1: Luke Littler v Ryan Searle
The first match of the evening saw Luke Littler looking to make a third straight final against Ryan Searle, who was making his debut at this stage.
The first set was regulation, with five straight holds seeing Searle take the early advantage thanks to winning the bull-up.
Littler started the second set well, holding before breaking to go 2-0 up. The second leg began a run of three straight breaks in the set, which meant that The Nuke drew level by taking the set 3-1.
The third set began with four straight holds, before a poor fifth leg from ‘Heavy Metal’ let the world champion in. He made no mistake, breaking to take the lead in sets for the first time.
Littler then kicked on in the fourth set. He stormed to it without reply, and hit a 110 out to win the set in leg three, and put him halfway to the final at 3-1.
There would be no let up from ‘The Nuke’, as he won a second straight set to nil. There was another ton-plus out in the third leg, this time a 100, to put him 4-1 up and firmly in control.
Littler made it three of the best in terms of set whitewashes in set six, to put him within a set of the match.
Searle ended his run of 11 straight legs lost in spectacular style, despite Littler going seven perfect darts into a 9-darter bid. ‘Heavy Metal’ finished the leg by reeling in the big fish 170 out, to take the opener in set seven.
That began a run of four straight holds in the set to leave it locked at 2-2. Searle couldn’t hold onto his throw in the fifth leg however, with Littler winning the set 3-2, and therefore the match 6-1.
The win is his eighteenth out of nineteen games on the World Championship stage, and puts him through to his third straight final. There, he will look to become the first man to go back-to-back since 2016.
SEMI-FINAL 2: Gian van Veen v Gary Anderson
The other semi-final saw the new Dutch number one Gian van Veen face two-time champion Gary Anderson.
The first set began with a trade of holds, before Anderson found the first break. He then consolidated with a hold to win the opening set.
Van Veen opened the second set with a break, before three straight holds lead to the Dutchman winning the set 3-1. The set winning moment was the first ton-plus out of the match, that being a 117.
Van Veen kicked off set three how he ended the last, with a ton-plus out, this time a 107. That began a run of five straight holds in the set, which ended with the Dutchman winning thanks to having throw, and going in front in sets for the first time.
Set four began just like set three, with a third ton-plus out, a 144 from Anderson. That was the first of four straight holds, before Van Veen found a very important break to take the set and go 3-1 up.
Set five was to be simply stunning. Anderson broke, before holding by reeling in the big fish in leg two. Van Veen then held, before finding a big fish of his own in leg four to win the break back. He then kept his cool on throw to take the set 3-2 and move to within two sets of the match.
Set six began with three straight holds, before Anderson broke in the fourth leg to take the set 3-1 and reduce the deficit to 4-2.
Four straight holds opened up set seven, before a huge break from ‘The Flying Scotsman’ in the fifth leg saw him take the set and put him back to within a set of his opponent.
Van Veen started the eighth set well, breaking then holding to go 2-0 up. Anderson fought back though, holding then breaking back to force a fifth leg. In it though, the Dutchman found a way as he so often has. He broke back to win the set and put him within one of a first ever world final.
Set nine began with a trade of holds, before Anderson found a break in leg three with a 121 out to put him 2-1 up in the set. Van Veen broke straight back though, before a brilliant fifth leg saw him clinch the set.
That saw him take an epic tussle 6-3, and move into his first ever World Championship final, where he will look to become the first player ever to hold both the senior and youth world titles at the same time.