Luke Littler is just one match away from the World Darts Championship final and Stephen Bunting is standing in his way.
17-year-old Littler produced an impressive performance to beat Nathan Aspinall in the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day.
He now faces Bunting, who eliminated two-time champion Peter Wright in his last match.
Wright, who earlier replaced Luke Humphries, has been vocal about his ability to challenge the best players.
But Bunting put an end to those ambitions, setting up a showdown with Littler, last year’s defeated finalist.
For Littler, this year brings added pressure. He admits that expectations are higher now compared to his breakthrough last season.
Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey booked their places in the semi-finals of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship on Wednesday.
Recap and reaction from an exciting day of quarterfinal action at Ally Pally! 📝👇
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
“Obviously, Michael (van Gerwen) has been there many times, Chris is in the first, I’m in the second and I know Bunting is, I think, in the first or second, so it’s going to be a good night,” Littler said.
“I felt the best I have so far in this tournament, so hopefully I can get back together and come back and it will be the same feeling.
“We all know what the expectations are, and they are very different from last year. But tonight I felt the best and hopefully I can get back together and feel like I did on that stage.”
Van Gerwen stepped up ahead of the showdown with Dobey
Michael van Gerwen will begin action on Thursday 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 claimed facing Van Gerwen in the last four could be “a bit easier” than playing Callan Rydz, also born in Bedlington. Van Gerwen, who swept Rydz in the previous round, was not shy in his response.
New Year in the Dvor. ✅#WCDarts pic.twitter.com/SubbcdffE0
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025
“People, when they’re winning, 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’ve always got to make sure you keep your own fire going and all that because he’s a good player.”
Van Gerwen is chasing his fourth world title and will be making his ninth World Cup semi-final appearance. However, it has been several years since he tasted victory at Alexandra Palace, and he achieved his last triumph in 2019.
Namely, 2024 was 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 hard. It is an uphill battle, but I like to face battles and as long as I believe in my own abilities, the king will return.”
Schedule for Thursday evening
Semi-final action begins at 7.30pm, with Van Gerwen and Dobey before Littler faces Bunting in what promises to be a thrilling finish to the penultimate stage of the World Darts Championship.
Michael van Gerwen vs Chris Dobey
Luke Littler v 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 shown on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can watch the semi-finals on Sky Sports Darts and the Main Event from 19:30 GMT.
Predictions
With only four players left in the tournament, Ally Pally is now truly anyone’s game.
In the first match of the evening, Van Gerwen is the favorite. The Dutchman is playing his best darts this year, but Dobey is certainly no pushover.
If Van Gerwen can pull through and advance with a strong start, it’s very hard to imagine his challenger coming back and beating him.
As for the main event, Littler will feel the pressure more than ever. He is a fan favourite, but so is Bunting. The crowd will be rooting for both sides on this card.
The 17-year-old was sensational against Aspinall, making it look easy in the quarters. He is favored to make another final, but if he is even slightly off his game, Bunting will be there to pounce.
