2024-01-01 20:16:26
Sport Darts World Cup
Luke Littler leaves no doubt and now meets his predecessor
Status: 01.01.2024 | Reading time: 3 minutes
Cult caller Bray leaves the big stage
After the World Championships in January, darts is probably losing its most famous voice, Russ Bray. As “The Voice” announced on Thursday, the World Cup final will be his last. The 66-year-old will remain with the PDC in a different role.
The fairytale of the Darts World Cup continues in the new year. Debutant Luke Littler reached the semi-finals in London. The 16-year-old shines again and jumps up 114 places in the world rankings. At least Brendan Dolan and Steve Lennon can’t be happy about it.
In view of the renewed clear success, the sporting aspect took a little back seat. “I’m glad that I only play in the evening and don’t have to get up so early,” said Luke Littler succinctly, looking ahead to his next match. It sounded as if he was talking about the scheduling of the next match day on the Development Tour, where he had successfully competed with other talents just last year.
Which is nonsense, after all, the day starts earlier on the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) junior circuit. And on January 2nd there are only two games in the wide PDC world: the semi-finals at the Darts World Cup in London’s Alexandra Palace.
And the 16-year-old has now actually qualified for the round of the last four. He defeated world number 28 Brendan Dolan 4-1 and it seems as if it’s not the opponents that are worrying the prodigy. As with his performances against Christian Kist (3:0), Andrew Gilding (3:1), Matt Campbell (4:1) and Raymond van Barneveld (4:1), he didn’t give the experienced Northern Irishman the slightest chance .
There is only one direction: things continue to look up for Luke Littler (right) after his victory over Brendan Dolan
Quelle: AP/Kin Cheung
The 50-year-old was able to take advantage of Littler’s somewhat sleepy start to take a 2-0 lead, but then experienced the pure class of his opponent, who was 34 years his junior. Littler won seven legs in a row to take a comfortable lead. Dolan then drew attention again with a break, but Littler countered immediately with a high finish: 111 points for the decider, in which he got through his throw and made it 3-0. Another record: his set average of 121.86 points.
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“The Nuke” won the fourth round 3-1, left his opponent with a 1-3 lead in set five and then completed the victory with a confident 3-0. “It wasn’t easy,” said Littler after the fifth success on his World Cup debut, but was unable to provide any evidence of nervousness or real periods of weakness to support his claim. The numbers also contradicted him. With an average of 101.93, he was more than 15 points above his opponent.
Cross is Littler’s predecessor
The semi-finals on Tuesday evening will be even more exciting. With Rob Cross, number eight in the Order of Merit, the first top player is waiting for the 16-year-old. “Voltage” is also a kind of inspiration for the whiz kid and new crowd favorite. The last time a debutant won the World Championship was six years ago, Cross, although he was already 26 years old at the time.
All eyes on Luke: 16-year-old Littler has to be trusted to do anything in London
Source: dpa/Zac Goodwin
There is no one left who doesn’t believe that the junior world champion can make a big splash. He himself has believed in the title since his first appearance at the Ally Pally. And if it doesn’t work against Cross, who won against Chris Dobey in his quarter-finals after being 0-4 sets down, he will still have 100,000 pounds in prize money and a jump of 114 places in the Order of Merit into the top 50.
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Dolan’s compatriot Nathan Rafferty is also happy about this. Littler had already earned his tour card as second on the Development Tour for the 2024 season. As 50th, he now receives the right to play via the Order of Merit, which means that the young Northern Irishman, fourth in the Development Tour, moves up through the junior rankings – and Steve Lennon is looking down the pipe as 65th in the Order of Merit.
Darts World Cup, quarter-finals on January 1st
Chris Dobey (ENG/17) – Rob Cross (ENG/8) 4:5 nV (3:1; 3:2; 3:0; 3:0; 1:3; 1:3; 2:3; 1: 3; 3:5)
Luke Littler (ENG) – Brendan Dolan (NIR/28) 5:1 (3:2; 3:0; 3:2; 3:1; 1:3; 3:0)
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from 8.15 p.m.:
Michael van Gerwen (NED/2) – Scott Williams (ENG)
Luke Humphries (ENG/3) – Dave Chisnall (ENG/11)
Darts World Cup, semi-finals on January 2nd
from 8.15 p.m.:
Rob Cross (ENG/8) – Luke Littler (ENG)
Michael van Gerwen (NED/2)/Scott Williams (ENG) – Luke Humphries (ENG/3)/Dave Chisnall (ENG/11)
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