Ryan Searle tried to shock Luke Littler in the World Darts Championship semi-finals by opening up about a rare eye condition.
Sarr has had a great run so far, dropping only two sets, the fewest of all players in the tournament, and is making his first last four appearance at Alexandra Palace.
The 38-year-old’s previous best finish was in the fourth round, and he has rarely shown his best on television throughout his career since joining the PDC in 2017.
Searle suffers from a rare eye disease called autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA), which can prevent him from seeing where his darts land, but it hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the world’s top players today.
“It wasn’t until the last 18 months that I realized what my vision diagnosis was. My vision has been bad for as long as I can remember,” Searle said.
“But getting diagnosed is a really good thing, so you know what’s wrong with your vision. There’s no cure for what I have, so I’m stuck with this. I’m now wearing contact lenses to try to get some of the blurring out of my vision.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Ryan Searle won the first set of his World Championship quarterfinal match against Johnny Clayton with this stunning finish.
“But on stage, you’re put in a bit of a difficult position because sometimes you ask the caller what their score is, and sometimes you don’t.
“If I can inspire people who are blind like everyone else to pick up this game and give it a try, that means a lot to me.”
Searle has been a member of the PDC for 10 years, winning seven Players Championship events during that time, but faces the biggest match of his career to date against Littler.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
World Championship Quarterfinals Luke Littler vs. Krzysztof Ratajski Highlights
He has won the Players Championship event in each of the past six seasons, including two during the 2025 season, but this is only the second time in his career that he has reached the semifinals of the TV Major.
The British player lost a final leg decision to Peter Wright in the 2021 Players Championship final, but has never gone beyond the fourth round in his last seven appearances at the World Darts Championship.
Searle, known as ‘Heavy Metal’, has raised €15,000 for the Cure ADOA Foundation and hopes to raise even more.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
2023 Grand Slam of Darts: Ryan Searle hits nine darters to win against Nathan Lafferty in Group D
He revealed that his daughter is registered as “visually impaired” and is unlikely to drive when she grows up.
“It can get worse out of nowhere. I’m currently at the legal limit of driving so I wear glasses or contacts to drive,” he added.
“If my vision gets any worse, which could happen at any time, then I have to find a driver somewhere.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Shepmates hilariously recreate Stuart Pike and Mark Webster’s commentary on Ryan Searle’s sensational nine-darter at the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts
What does reaching the semi-finals mean for Sarr?
Sarr reached the semi-finals, moving closer to a career-high world ranking and one win away from earning his first automatic spot in the Premier League.
He is tentatively scheduled to move up to No. 8 in the world after reaching the final four, but if he reaches the final he will be in the top four and guaranteed an automatic spot.
Even if he doesn’t break into the top four, could his performances at Alexandra Palace in recent weeks earn him a Premier League debut?
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Ryan Searle reacts to advancing to the World Championship semi-finals
“Personally, I have said that the Premier League is something I would like to play at least once to say I did it,” Sarr said.
“I wonder if this is the year…If you look at Chris Dobey last year, he’s had a similar path to me. He didn’t do much in the previous majors, he went to the World Championships, he got to the semifinals, and they put him in there. I don’t know if my face is right for that, but we’ll see what happens!”
Searle: I’m not expected to beat Littler.
Searle has faced Luke Littler five times in PDC-ranked events, losing all five times, most recently in the last 16 at the Flanders Darts Open in August.
Littler won that event and also hoisted the trophy after their first meeting in February 2024, defeating Searle in a final round decision to win the Players Championship 1 Final.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Luke Littler reacts to his comfortable win over Krzysztof Ratajski at the World Darts Championship and the possibility of facing Ryan Searle in the semi-finals
‘The Nuke’ won the Belgian Darts Open and World Matchplay titles this year after ousting Searle early in the tournament, while in other competitions Littler won the 2024 German Darts Championship but lost in the final to Peter Wright.
“We have two really tough matches left, and the one against Luke Littler could be the toughest of them,” Searle said.
“I’d like to take some pressure off given the position I’m in. I’m probably not expected to win the next game.”
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch all the matches live, exclusively, on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407), leading up to Saturday’s final. Stream darts and other top sports now.
