Luke Littler‘s imperious defence of his World Darts Championship title has continued after reaching Saturday’s final.
The world No 1 lived up to his billing once again after dismantling Ryan Searle in the first semi-final on Friday night.
The teenage sensation, 18, was sublime at the oche as he beat his English compatriot 6-1 in sets.
Littler will face Gian van Veen in Saturday’s showpiece after he beat two-time Gary Anderson 6-3 in the second semi-final. The victor will collect a £1million prize.
As custom during his walk-on, Littler embraced his parents Anthony Buckley and Lisa Littler, while also sharing a kiss with girlfriend Faith Millar.
And the Warrington-born star had some other star-studded support in his corner as friend and recent I’m A Celeb King of the Jungle Angry Ginge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, was in attendance. As well as him, musician Lewis Capaldi was at the north London venue.
Luke Littler is through to Saturday’s World Darts Championship final after beating Ryan Searle
He will face Dutch sensation Gian van Veen in Saturday night’s final at Alexandra Palace
Littler shares a kiss with girlfriend Faith Millar during his walk-on on Friday night
Victory cements Littler’s position as one of the giants of the game and few would back against him lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy for a second time in 24 hours.
In reaching the final, Littler has now reached this stage of the competition every year since he first entered as a 16-year-old.
He will take some beating in the final after thrashing Searle to stretch his unbeaten run on the Ally Pally stage to 12 matches and counting.
If he is to make it a lucky 13 on Saturday, he will be the first player to win back-to-back world titles since Anderson achieved the feat in 2015 and 2016.
It will take something special to stop him as he looks unbeatable over a longer format.
He averaged 105.35, hit 10 180s and took out 59 per cent of his doubles, amid a stretch of 11 successive wins, and there was still a strong sense that there was more to come from the audacious teenager.
His only disappointment was his failure to land a nine-dart finish, an insatiable itch that he has been so far unable to scratch.
He twice came close in the sixth set, with seven perfect darts in a leg he ended up losing after Searle took out a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout.
Littler ends what has been a career-best run by Searle, who moves up to a new high ranking of world No 8.
The 38-year-old’s performance has been made even more impressive by his recent revelation that he suffers from Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy – an eye condition which means he often cannot see where the dart lands.
That did not hold the former window cleaner back and he dropped just two sets on the way to the last four.
As well as his girlfriend, Littler’s dad Anthony Buckley and his mum Lisa Littler (left) were there
Littler also had the support of friend and recent I’m A Celeb King of the Jungle Angry Ginge
Musician Lewis Capaldi watches on during as the first semi-final unfolded on Friday night
Searle reacts during his World Darts Championship semi-final defeat by Luke Littler
But then he came up against a different proposition in Littler, who produced a masterful performance to reach a third successive final.
‘This is crazy. A few boos, a few cheers, but the crowd tonight have been good,’ Littler said post-match on Sky Sports.
‘I went 1-0 down, I wasn’t the happiest, I thought I didn’t play that well. Everyone knows I want to go 1-0 up, I want to get into the feel.
‘I told myself I’d find it.
‘Big shout to Ryan, he has done amazing this tournament, he can be proud.
‘(The second semi-final) is going to be a brilliant game, I don’t mind who I play, both excellent lads. Whoever hits the double first will win the match.’
While Littler has been in red-hot form on the oche, the 18-year-old has dealt with criticism during the tournament.
He was booed during Monday’s last-16 win over Rob Cross and took a swipe back on the mic afterwards, saying: ‘I’m not bothered. Really not bothered.
‘Can I say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Come on!’
There were also plenty of fans online branding the teenage sensation ‘arrogant’, leading to his mum calling the crowd ‘vile t**ts’.
Littler dubbed the atmosphere at the historic venue ‘hostile’, while his mother had far stronger things to say on social media as she rushed to the defence of her son.
On Monday, Littler was booed by the crowd and then bit back when interviewed after his match
The teen’s mother hit back on social media site X at those who believed her son was wrong
One commenter had wondered aloud why he wasn’t allowed to ‘call (Littler) a little pudding because he’s 18’ since he was able to ‘financially ridicule a whole audience who’ve paid their hard earned money’.
Lisa responded: ‘So they buy tickets with there (sic) hard earned money to sit there like t**ts and boo (thumbs up emoji)’.
Another social media user had noted that ‘the more I watch Luke Littler, the more I hate him’ – prompting his mother to respond teasingly: ‘Aww gutted for ya nottt (sic) (two laugh-crying emojis)’.
When when darts fan told the world number one to ‘behave like one’, Lisa pulled no punches with her reply, writing: ‘Behave like one (two laugh-crying emojis)
‘Best comment so far am sure Luke will carry on behaving like one as he as (sic) done crowds were vile let’s all boo the world number one idiots man’.
In response to one line of insults, Lisa continued her defiant streak, mocking one use who called Littler ‘the most unbearable arrogant w****r in any sport’ and a ‘fat ****’ by saying: ‘Aww Luke Won’t sleep now (two laugh-crying emojis) (middle finger emoji)’.
