Defending champion Luke Littler has emphatically secured his spot in the World Matchplay final, delivering a commanding 17-5 victory over unseeded Dirk van Duijvenbode in Blackpool. The world number one showcased his formidable form, at one point averaging 117.10 and appearing set to break Phil Taylor's single-match tournament average record of 114.99. Although his average dipped slightly to just under 111 by the match's conclusion, Littler remains well-positioned to eclipse Taylor's overall tournament average record of 106.31, with his current tournament average standing at 110.88.
The teenager's impressive run at the tournament has also seen him accumulate over £3 million in the PDC's Order of Merit, establishing a lead of more than £2 million over world number two Luke Humphries. Littler's relentless scoring and clinical finishing proved too much for Van Duijvenbode, who struggled to keep pace with the defending champion's blistering start.
Littler will now face Wales' Gerwyn Price in Sunday's final, after Price overcame the Netherlands' Gian van Veen with a 17-10 win. Price, the seventh seed, took an early lead and, despite a period of inconsistent play where both competitors struggled to hold their throw, he ultimately pulled away from Van Veen in the latter stages of the match. The victory marks a significant achievement for Price, not only securing his place in a major final but also elevating him to fourth in the Order of Merit, surpassing Jonny Clayton to become the Welsh number one.
Speaking after his semi-final win, Price expressed his satisfaction at reaching the final but highlighted that his primary focus going into the match was to 'get one up' on his good friend Clayton. Van Veen, the world number three, endured a challenging night, missing 23 darts at a double and being broken nine times in 14 legs where he threw first.
The highly anticipated final between Littler and Price is scheduled to begin at 20:05 BST on Sunday. Earlier in the day, the Women's World Matchplay will take place from 13:00 BST, featuring top seeds Beau Greaves and defending champion Lisa Ashton.