Teenager Luke Littler won 5-2 against his friend Nathan Aspinall to reach the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship, where he will face Stephen Bunting. The 17-year-old, who was runner-up last year, impressed with a strong average of 101.54.
Littler is now the favourite to win the tournament, but Bunting, who beat two-time champion Peter Wright 5-2, will be a tough opponent. In the other semi-final, Michael van Gerwen will play Chris Dobey.
Littler started strong, winning the first set quickly with an average of 118.66, even copying Didier Drogba’s goal celebration. Aspinall, who had struggled with injuries, fought hard but was overpowered by Littler’s scoring.
Littler hit 15 180s and is now on track to become the youngest winner of the tournament. He has already had a fantastic year, winning 10 titles and earning over £1m in prize money.
Bunting, who is ranked fifth in the world, had a dominant 5-2 victory over Wright, who had won the title in 2020 and 2022. Bunting’s powerful performance saw him finish with an average of 95.55, and he celebrated with the crowd after his win.
Van Gerwen, the third seed, defeated Callan Rydz 5-3 in a thrilling match, while Dobey made a comeback from 2-0 down to beat former champion Gerwyn Price 5-3.
The semi-finals will be held on Thursday evening, with Dobey playing Van Gerwen and Littler facing Bunting.
