Luke Littler is relishing the opportunity to tackle Stephen Bunting and his ‘Bunting Army’ in their semi-final showdown at Alexandra Palace on Thursday.
Littler continued his bid for a maiden World Darts Championship title with a convincing 5-2 victory over Nathan Aspinall, having seen Bunting despatch Peter Wright by the same margin.
Both players receive huge support from the Ally Pally crowd, with Bunting’s ‘Titanium’ walk-on and Littler’s ‘Greenlight’ track generating huge noise ahead of every match, with the pre-tournament favourite fully aware the crowd will not all be supporting his bid to reach a second Worlds final.
“They [the crowd] have been good for me tonight,” Littler told Sky Sports after beating Aspinall. “They’ve also been good to Stephen.
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Laughs all round as Littler and Aspinall joke after missing out on nine-darters in their quarter-final
“They can take their pick and support whoever they want to. I can see quite a few Nuke shirts in here, so I think I’ve got on the better!”
With Luke Humphries suffering a shock early exit, Littler now enters the semis as the heavy favourite – Michael van Gerwen takes on Chris Dobey in the other semi-final – but he knows anything can happen on the Ally Pally stage.
But the 17-year-old is feeling the best he has the entire tournament and is hoping to replicate that on Thursday night to book his spot in the final once again.
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Littler says he is playing with absolute confidence and freedom
“Probably that’s what everyone thinks, but anything can happen on the day, it’s the semi-finals of the World Championship,” Littler said.
“Obviously Michael has been there numerous times, Chris is in his first, I’m in my second, and I know Bunting I think is in his first or second, so it’s going to be a good night.
“I felt the best I have in this tournament so far, so hopefully I can regroup and come back again and it can be the same feeling.
“We all know the expectation and it’s very different from last year, but tonight I felt the greatest and hopefully I can regroup and feel like I did on that stage tomorrow (Thursday).
“I’d probably only say I felt different in the Ryan Meikle game, and then came through against Ian White, obviously the 3-1 lead was crucial against Ian, and then the tough test against Ryan, I think that’s what I needed, and then tonight I just settled.”
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Stephen Bunting gives credit to training partner Luke Humphries for his improved form to reach the semi-finals after victory over Peter Wright
Bunting calls for more from Ally Pally crowd
Although Littler is ready for his opponent to have the fans onside when they face off in their semi-final, Bunting himself dealt with a growing Wright support as he fought back in their quarter-final.
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Watch as Bunting’s son cheers on his dad to a quarter-final victory over Wright
At the end of his match, Bunting praised the crowd but called for more.
“Listen [to the crowd] in the first four sets you were unreal but you have got to do better,” Bunting said to Sky Sports.
“I thought to myself just try and refocus. Each and every game I have just focused on that opponent. The crowd, unbelievable again.
“Let’s go Bunting mental!”
What’s next?
Three-time world champion Van Gerwen headlines the first of Thursday’s fixtures as he faces Dobey, looking to reach the final for the first time, before pre-tournament favourite Littler takes on Bunting in the other semi-final.
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 semi-finals and final exclusively live on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
