Luke Littler is moving closer to becoming the third player in history to secure consecutive World Matchplay titles. The current champion dominated his semi-final match in Blackpool, defeating Dirk van Duijvenbode with a convincing 17-5 scoreline.
Littler started the match with an impressive 117.10 average, threatening Phil Taylor’s long-standing tournament record. Although his performance dipped slightly following a momentary distraction, he finished with a strong 111 average. This victory pushed his PDC order of merit earnings past the £3m mark, placing him significantly ahead of world number two Luke Humphries.
His opponent in Sunday’s final, Gerwyn Price, earned his spot by defeating Gian van Veen 17-10. Despite a period of back-and-forth breaks, the seventh-seeded Welshman pulled away late in the game to secure the win. This result elevates Price to fourth in the rankings and establishes him as the top-ranked player from Wales, overtaking Jonny Clayton.
The men’s final is scheduled for 20:05 BST this Sunday. Earlier in the day, the Women’s World Matchplay will feature top seeds Beau Greaves and Lisa Ashton.
