Luke Littler is now just one victory away from claiming the world number one spot for the first time in his young but already electrifying career. The 18-year-old battled back from behind to defeat Josh Rock 16-12, booking his place in the Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals in Wolverhampton.
If he reaches the final, Littler will leapfrog fellow Englishman Luke Humphries and take over the top ranking—an astonishing feat for a teenager who has dominated the tournament without a single loss.
A Gritty Comeback Against Rock
The match had all the twists expected from two of the sport’s brightest talents. Rock edged into an early 3-2 lead with an 84 checkout and later capitalised on Littler’s missed double in the 14th leg to open a 7-6 advantage. He pushed further ahead, leading 9-6, looking poised for an upset.
But Littler shifted gears.
A surge of seven straight legs flipped the contest, putting him up 13-9. Even a wobble—missing three match darts at double 10—couldn’t derail him as he closed with authority.
Littler averaged 105.18, fired in eleven 180s, and showed the composure of a seasoned champion, while Rock posted a strong 101.46 and twelve maximums of his own.
Semi-Final Showdown Set
Littler now faces Danny Noppert in Sunday’s last-four clash after the Dutchman’s convincing 16-8 win over Lukas Wenig.
The other semi-final features Luke Humphries against Wales’ Gerwyn Price—two powerhouses who stand in the way of a potentially historic Littler ranking rise.
A Champion Closing In
Already the reigning world champion, Littler continues to deliver performances beyond his years. One more win, and darts will have a brand-new world number one—an 18-year-old phenom rewriting the sport’s timeline.
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