World Darts Championship: Luke Littler sets up final showdown with Michael van Gerwen after sublime showing vs Stephen Bunting
Luke Littler raced to a 6-1 victory over Stephen Bunting; Michael van Gerwen cruised to a 6-1 win over Chris Dobey in the opening semi-final at Alexandra Palace; watch the final of the World Darts Championship live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm on Friday
Friday 3 January 2025 12:40, UK
Luke Littler demolished Stephen Bunting 6-1 to set up a World Darts Championship final against Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace on Friday, live on Sky.
Littler is into his second Worlds final in as many years and, after falling short in the big dance against Luke Humphries in 2024, he has a chance to take the final step and claim world title glory in 2025.
His stats were incredible in his semi-final display, averaging 105.48 with 13 180s and a 44 per cent success rate on the doubles.
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In the opening semi-final, Van Gerwen dismantled Chris Dobey by the same margin to make it into his seventh final and give himself a chance of lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy for the fourth time.
Littler, 17, will face Dutchman Van Gerwen, 35, on Friday evening, with coverage live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Darts from 7.30pm.
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The pair faced each other 12 times in their career, with six wins apiece.
"If we both turn up like we did tonight, it will be really good (final)," Littler told Sky Sports after his win.
"As soon as Luke Humphries went out, that's what everyone was looking at but I had to focus on the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Now I've done that, I can focus on Michael tomorrow.
"We all know he's hunting for a fourth world title. I'm hunting for my first.
"Same as last night, go home, chill out and come back tomorrow."
Littler shows class to book back-to-back Worlds finals
After making the final of the Worlds on his debut in 2024, Littler is only the seventh player in history to make back-to-back finals,
The opening set was a tough tussle between the pair that Littler came out on top of with some clinical doubling but with both averaging over 100, it was clear it was going to be a high-scoring contest.
As the oldest player left in the competition faced the youngest, the 39-year-old's doubling was hampering his progress and that allowed Littler to pounce and secure a 3-0 lead, a 158 checkout and 105.75 set average coming in handy on the way.
Bunting showed grit and real character to claw a set back and bring the match to 4-1 but after missing set darts to make it 4-2, Littler came in clutch and took out 84 on the bullseye to put himself a set away.
The 17-year-old then put himself one leg away from the final in the most remarkable of fashions as he reeled in the Big Fish, 'The Nuke' sinking tops to write his name in the history books once again.
MVG cruises past Dobey to book final spot
Van Gerwen came out onto the Ally Pally stage for his semi-final in the zone and raced into a 1-0 lead against the throw before stealing the second set in a deciding leg, Dobey missing three darts at the double to make it a level game.
Although he had a tricky start, Dobey then lived up to his 'Hollywood' nickname and reeled in the Big Fish and a 108 checkout to whitewash the fourth set and bring himself back into the contest.
Dobey's dominant set of brilliance was a short-lived moment in charge of the encounter though as Van Gerwen responded with a whitewash set of his own and with a startling 107 average in it, he was quickly 3-1 in front, three of the next four legs then going his way to give him a four-set advantage.
The 'Green Machine' was just a force too powerful for Dobey to outscore and with a 158 checkout on the way to wrapping up the sixth set then a break of throw in the seventh, he pinned D16 to book a spot back on the biggest stage of all.
"You always have ups and downs but today I had the right mentality. Even when things didn't go my way, I produced good stuff at the right moments," Van Gerwen told Sky Sports.
"To win on this stage, especially on the semi-finals means a lot to me. My family is watching and it means a lot.
"We are still so far away. I still have to battle. Tomorrow is another day and the title is far away. That's what you have to keep telling yourself. I don't want to make mistakes. I want to keep it that way.
"I love performing on the stage. It's my passion, it's my life. Of course, I have a family now but it is what it is. I enjoyed it tonight."
What's next?
Littler will face Van Gerwen in the World Darts Championship final, live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm on Friday January 3.
The World Darts Championship kicks off a big 2025 of live darts on Sky Sports, including the Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts.
Littler is defending champion of the Premier League after beating world No 1 Humphries in last year's final - but will he enter this year's events as the world champion?
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch the final exclusively live on Sky Sports' dedicated darts channel. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
