World champion Luke Little survived an early scare to book his first Betfred World Matchplay final after an historic encounter against Josh Rock at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
The 18-year-old recovered from being 5-0 down in less than 10 minutes to close out a 17-4 win, which included a perfect nine-darter which he admits kick-started his comeback.
Twenty-nine 180s was the most in World Matchplay history as Littler, who had 15 of those, finished with a 107.5 average – Rock averaged 104.1 – and is one victory away from becoming only the fifth person to win the Triple Crown of World Championship, World Matchplay and Premier League.
“It was an incredible game. I wasn’t happy at 5-0 down, it was a slow start but I picked myself up,” Little told Sky Sports.
“I wouldn’t say Josh fell off but those first five legs from him were unbelievable. I just said to myself ‘you can do it, you have been here before’ – and I’ve done it again.
“As soon as I got into the lead, I just had to break and hold and get that two-leg advantage which I did and hold my own throw.”
On his nine-dart finish – in a leg where Rock had thrown successive 180s to set up a nine-darter himself – he added: “It definitely sparked me into life. I didn’t want to give it big because I was playing awful.”
His opponent in the final is James Wade, who admitted he “hated every minute” of his epic 20-18 win over Jonny Clayton to reach his seventh final.
The 42-year-old Englishman, who last won this event 18 years ago, had been 7-2 and 16-10 up and needed just one leg for victory only for his opponent to win six in a row and force extra legs.
Clayton then missed two doubles to level at 19-19 and Wade staggered over the line.
“I’m done. I think Jonny just let me off at the last minute – but I let him off before that,” he told Sky Sports.
“I’m exhausted after that. I hoped the crowd here and everyone at home enjoyed themselves because I hated every minute of it.”
