Littler Lays Down Marker with 110 Average
Luke Littler’s defence of the World Matchplay title continues in emphatic fashion after he produced another stunning performance to defeat Josh Rock 16-7 in the quarter-finals. The world number one was in imperious form at the Winter Gardens, recording an average of 109.57 to book his place in the last four.
While not reaching the heights of his nine-darter against Nathan Aspinall earlier in the week, it was a display of relentless scoring that proved too much for Rock, who himself played well and averaged 100 in defeat. Littler later noted his comfort on the Blackpool stage, stating, “I feel really good on stage. My preparation beforehand has been going really well… It’s going to take something special for another player to beat me.”
Van Duijvenbode Ends Anderson’s Unbeaten Run
The second quarter-final of the evening saw unseeded Dirk van Duijvenbode produce a major upset, beating Gary Anderson to reach his first World Matchplay semi-final. The Dutchman, who had earlier knocked out Michael van Gerwen, resisted a fightback from the Scot to secure his place against Littler.
The result was significant not only for Van Duijvenbode’s impressive run but also for breaking Anderson’s remarkable record in this stage of the competition. It was the first time the Scot had ever lost a quarter-final at the World Matchplay, ending a long-standing unbeaten streak at the Winter Gardens.
The victory continues a remarkable tournament for Van Duijvenbode, whose progression has significant implications for the PDC Order of Merit. He is now in a position to rise as many as 15 places from his pre-tournament ranking. His semi-final opponent Littler, meanwhile, continues to close in on the historic £3 million mark in ranking earnings, reinforcing his status as the tournament favourite according to most bookmakers offering the best odds.
