Luke Littler’s imperious defence of his World Darts Championship title has continued after reaching Saturday’s final.
The world No 1 lived up to his billing once again after dismantling Ryan Searle in the first semi-final on Friday night.
The teenage sensation, 18, was sublime at the oche as he beat his English compatriot 6-1 in sets.
Littler will face either two-time champion Gary Anderson or Gian van Veen in Saturday’s showpiece.
As custom during his walk-on, the teenager embraced his parents Anthony Buckley and Lisa Littler, while also sharing a kiss with girlfriend Faith Millar.
And the Warrington-born star had some other star-studded support in his corner as friend and recent I’m A Celeb King of the Jungle Angry Ginge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, was in attendance. As well as him, musician Lewis Capaldi was at the north London venue.
Victory cements Littler’s position as one of the giants of the game and few would back against him lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy for a second time in 24 hours.
It will take something special to stop him as he looks unbeatable over a longer format.
He averaged 105.35, hit 10 180s and took out 59 per cent of his doubles, amid a stretch of 11 successive wins, and there was still a strong sense that there was more to come from the audacious teenager.
His only disappointment was his failure to land a nine-dart finish, an insatiable itch that he has been so far unable to scratch.
He twice came close in the sixth set, with seven perfect darts in a leg he ended up losing after Searle took out a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout.
Littler ends what has been a career-best run by Searle, who moves up to a new high ranking of world No 8.
The 38-year-old’s performance has been made even more impressive by his recent revelation that he suffers from Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy – an eye condition which means he often cannot see where the dart lands.
That did not hold the former window cleaner back and he dropped just two sets on the way to the last four.
But then he came up against a different proposition in Littler, who produced a masterful performance to reach a third successive final.
‘This is crazy. A few boos, a few cheers, but the crowd tonight have been good,’ Littler said on Sky Sports.
‘I went 1-0 down, I wasn’t the happiest, I thought I didn’t play that well. Everyone knows I want to go 1-0 up, I want to get into the feel.
‘I told myself I’d find it.
‘Big shout to Ryan, he has done amazing this tournament, he can be proud.
‘(The second semi-final) is going to be a brilliant game, I don’t mind who I play, both excellent lads. Whoever hits the double first will win the match.’
While Littler has been in red-hot form on the oche, the 18-year-old has dealt with criticism during the tournament.
He was booed during Monday’s last-16 win over Rob Cross and took a swipe back on the mic afterwards, saying: ‘I’m not bothered. Really not bothered.
‘Can I say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Come on!’
There were also plenty of fans online branding the teenage sensation ‘arrogant’, leading to his mum calling the crowd ‘vile t**ts’.
Littler dubbed the atmosphere at the historic venue ‘hostile’, while his mother had far stronger things to say on social media as she rushed to the defence of her son.
One commenter had wondered aloud why he wasn’t allowed to ‘call (Littler) a little pudding because he’s 18’ since he was able to ‘financially ridicule a whole audience who’ve paid their hard earned money’.
Lisa responded: ‘So they buy tickets with there (sic) hard earned money to sit there like t**ts and boo (thumbs up emoji)’.
Another social media user had noted that ‘the more I watch Luke Littler, the more I hate him’ – prompting his mother to respond teasingly: ‘Aww gutted for ya nottt (sic) (two laugh-crying emojis)’.
When when darts fan told the world number one to ‘behave like one’, Lisa pulled no punches with her reply, writing: ‘Behave like one (two laugh-crying emojis)
‘Best comment so far am sure Luke will carry on behaving like one as he as (sic) done crowds were vile let’s all boo the world number one idiots man’.
In response to one line of insults, Lisa continued her defiant streak, mocking one use who called Littler ‘the most unbearable arrogant w****r in any sport’ and a ‘fat ****’ by saying: ‘Aww Luke Won’t sleep now (two laugh-crying emojis) (middle finger emoji)’.
