Gian van Veen beats Gary Anderson in epic semi to set up final with Luke Littler

Gian van Veen defeated Gary Anderson in a dramatic semi-final to book a place in the world championship final against Luke Littler, who cruised past Ryan Searle.

Littler won his semi 6-1, averaging 105.4, taking 20 legs from 28 and averaging more than 100 in every set. He left the stage frustrated only that he had not hit a nine-darter.

Van Veen overcame a stern test to win 6-3. He built a 4-1 lead, converting 12 of his first 15 darts at double, and held off a fierce Anderson revival. Anderson averaged 103, hit 14 maximums and was 46% on doubles, but lost in one of the longest matches of the tournament.

The fifth set of the Van Veen–Anderson match was a standout: Anderson produced a 10-darter and a 12-darter finished with 170, Van Veen replied with an 11-darter, a 12-darter and his own 170, before sealing the set in 15 darts.

The two finalists share a recent history: they played each other in the world youth final after qualifying from a 96-player field at Milton Keynes. Littler’s swagger and clinical scoring have made him a favourite, while Van Veen’s resilience — and his reputation as an outstanding doubler — carried him through a testing semi.

This is Littler’s third world final at his third attempt; he has also won six major titles in the past 12 months. The final will pit Littler’s clean, relentless scoring against Van Veen’s steady finishing under pressure.

Key Topics

Sports, Luke Littler, Gian Van Veen, Gary Anderson, Ryan Searle, Pdc World Championship