Two-time world champion Luke Littler's bid for a unique darting double ended in the semi-finals of the World Youth Championship. The 19-year-old was edged out 6-5 by fellow Englishman Cam Crabtree.
Littler, who made a surprise appearance at the junior tournament, had won seven matches to reach the last four. Had he won the event, he would have been the first player to hold both the World Championship and World Youth titles.
Crabtree, 22, will now face Germany's Jan Schmidt in the final, scheduled for Sunday, November 29, in Minehead during the Players Championship Finals. The winner will receive a £15,000 prize.
Littler, who won this event as an amateur in 2023, reportedly entered for match practice following a first-round exit at the World Grand Prix last week. He cruised through the round-robin stage with three 5-1 victories, but faced close calls in later rounds, including a 6-4 win against 16-year-old Lewis Cook after being 3-0 down.