Luke Littler reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts with a 16-12 victory over Josh Lock in a high-level match in Wolverhampton.
This means Littler’s title defense will continue and he will aim to make the first major defense of his career, joining Phil Taylor, Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen, who have defended the Grand Slam.
He also has his sights set on world number one, which he will take from Luke Humphries if he qualifies for Sunday night’s final.
It was a breathtaking start for both riders, with an average of 110 in the opening session. Lock won the final two legs with a spin, then six perfect darts and a bullseye finish for a five-leg victory and a 3-2 lead going into the break.
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Luke Littler reveals his frustration after falling three-legged to Josh Lock in the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts
The second session then moved completely into the throws with both players finding pinpoint accuracy, with nothing separating the pair at 5-5, with both former youth world champions completely in the zone.
The decisive moment came in the 14th leg, when Littler’s double missed, and Lock pounced on a break of throw, then defended his own dart to take a 9-6 lead.
But it didn’t take long for Littler to do one better than Locke, rattling five legs on the spin and finding a double break that helped him go from three places behind to two ahead. It was a spell that once again showed why he can win in longer formats.
The 18-year-old extended his run to an incredible seven consecutive legs before Lock halted his run and reached double figures. From there, the battle began again.
Two young talents produced clutch bull finishes and breaks were exchanged under intense pressure, but Littler’s second consecutive break put him one step closer to another impressive victory.
At that moment, Locke knew his race was going to be on Littler’s favorite D10.
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The moment Luke Littler qualified for the Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals
“When we lost 9-6, I said I had stopped following the game,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“I was moving a little bit to the left and slowing down. The timing of all my shots at the end of that game… I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“I was giving myself absolute hell. You don’t want to know what I was saying to myself.
“I came back and won the next five to take the lead.
“Josh averaged 89 points two days ago, and he wasn’t going to do that tonight.
“We always bring out the best in each other. One more game, another win and we’re still undefeated here.”
Noppert defeats Wennig to advance to semi-finals
Danny Knoppert defeated debutant Lukas Wennig 16-8 to advance to his fourth major TV semi-final of 2025 and first Grand Slam semi-final of his career.
Thanks to a hat-trick of 76 checkouts, including two on top and one on D4, Noppert took an early fast break to a 3-2 lead against a man looking to extend his dream debut.
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Danny Knoppert’s 116 checkout and 140 checkout at Grand Slam of Darts quarterfinals vs. Lukas Wennig
Knoppert then began to threaten to run away with the match with a combination of good scores: a 116 checkout for a hold and an impressive 140 checkout for a break.
However, Wennig definitely fought back with his own break to make the score 6-4 and stay in the match.
What followed was a disastrous session for Wenig, as his double completely collapsed and Noppert took advantage, with ‘The Freeze’ winning all five legs on offer, moving up 11-4 and five legs from the semi-finals.
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Lukas Wenig hits 170 in Grand Slam of Darts quarter-final against Danny Knoppert
Wenig was able to find a nice couple of legs, adding 129 on his way to reeling in the big fish to bring the score to 15-8, but it was only a momentary reprieve as Noppert crossed the finish line on D4.
“I think I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m really happy with everything,” Noppert told Sky Sports.
“Of course, this was not my best match.
“I’m really happy. I’ve reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. I’ve always dreamed of it and it’s come true.
“What can I say? I’m really happy with my performance over the last few months. I’m really proud of it.”
What can we expect on Sunday? Another Luke vs. Luke fight?
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Wayne Mardle praises Luke Littler and Humphries’ ‘relentlessness’
Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle…
“Luke and Luke make fewer mistakes than any other player on the planet. That’s why it’s so hard to beat them.”
“That’s why they produce the numbers. That’s why it’s so hard to beat them in this kind of format.”
“It’s very hard to break.”
Who will win the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts? Watch the semi-finals from 1pm and the final from 7pm on Sunday on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event. Stream darts and other top sports now
