'Now or never' - Littler fightback seals semi spot

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Luke Littler celebrates with his mouth wide openImage source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Luke Littler is second in the PDC world rankings behind Luke Humphries

ByPhil Cartwright

BBC Sport journalist

World champion Luke Littler hit a sensational 152 checkout in the deciding leg of a thrilling World Grand Prix quarter-final against Gerwyn Price to reach the last four in Leicester.

That wonderful finish capped the 18-year-old's fightback from two sets down against 2020 World Grand Prix winner Price, who missed three match darts at doubles in the fourth set.

Littler had seemed poised for victory in the final set before Price took out an incredible 156 finish to send the match into a sudden-death leg, in which the Welshman had the advantage of throwing first.

Both players struggled to find an opening double in the decider and neither scored heavily, until the English teenager's moment of magic finished the match.

After Littler found double 16 to complete his memorable win, former world champion Price smiled and applauded from the back of the stage before the pair shared a warm embrace.

Asked how he felt after falling 2-0 behind in sets, Littler told Sky Sports: "I just said that it's now or never - you have to switch on, find those trebles and not stay on the wire for the entire match.

"I switched up, started going for double 16s and it worked in parts. Double 16 is the one that got me the World Championship and it's always there to be hit."

Littler will play Wales' Jonny Clayton in his semi-final on Saturday.

Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler get set to embrace after their quarter-finalImage source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Gerwyn Price (right) has twice been a World Grand Prix runner-up since winning the title in 2020

Clayton, the 2021 champion, lost the first leg of his quarter-final against Dirk van Duijvenbode but then won nine in succession to take a convincing 3-0 victory.

Saturday's other match in the best-of-nine semi-finals will be contested by England's world number one Luke Humphries and Dutchman Danny Noppert.

Humphries, who won the title in 2023 and was runner-up last year, was a 3-1 victor against Scotland's Cameron Menzies.

World number 13 Noppert beat another Scot, two-time world champion Gary Anderson, by the same score to reach the last four of the World Grand Prix for the second time in his career.

Quarter-final results

Danny Noppert 3-1 Gary Anderson

Dirk van Duijvenbode 0-3 Jonny Clayton

Luke Littler 3-2 Gerwyn Price

Luke Humphries 3-1 Cameron Menzies

Semi-finals

Saturday, 11 October (20:00 BST - matches are best of nine sets)

Luke Humphries v Danny Noppert

Luke Littler v Jonny Clayton

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