In the seaside theatre of Blackpool, a young man named Luke Littler continued his quiet conquest of professional darts, dismantling Dirk van Duijvenbode with a precision that left little room for drama. His path to Sunday's World Matchplay final is paved with 28 consecutive victories in long-format play and nine straight wins over his waiting opponent, Gerwyn Price. What unfolds is less a story of sport than one of a generation's talent pressing against the boundaries of what has come before — and the curious weight that history places on those who dare to reach for it.
Littler dominates van Duijvenbode to set up Price final at World Matchplay
As long as I can get into the lead, that will be the thing.
Mark
What does it mean that Littler was thinking about the record while he was playing?
Mimi
It's the difference between playing and performing. He was ahead, he knew what was possible, and that knowledge became a weight. You can see it in the numbers—he dropped from 117 to just below 111. That's not a small thing.
Mark
But he still won easily. Does it matter that he wasn't perfect?
Mimi
In a 17-5 match, no. But in a final against Price, where Price needs to find something new? Yes. It matters because it shows Littler can be distracted. Price will have seen that tape.
Mark
Price has lost nine straight to Littler. How does a player come back from that?
Mimi
You have to believe something has changed. Price's theatrics, his roaring—that's his thing. But it hasn't worked. So either he finds a new way to compete, or he walks into Sunday already beaten.
Mark
Is Littler really that dominant, or is Price just not good enough?
Mimi
Both. Littler is genuinely exceptional right now. But Price is also a very good player who has simply not found the answer. That's what makes Sunday interesting—not whether Littler will win, but whether Price can finally do something different.
Mark
What does the Welsh number one ranking mean to Price?
Mimi
It's validation. He's been chasing that. But it's also a distraction from what he really wants—to beat Littler when it matters most.
The Pulse
- Littler's 17-5 demolition of van Duijvenbode was so swift and clinical that the pursuit of Phil Taylor's tournament average record became the only real tension of the evening.
- Awareness of that looming record tightened something in Littler mid-match, causing his average to slip from a record-breaking 117.10 to a still-formidable 110.88 by the final leg.
- In the other semifinal, Price ground out a scrappy 17-10 win over van Veen, finding his rhythm only in the closing stages after a match riddled with inconsistency from both players.
- Price's victory carried a personal prize beyond the final: he displaced close friend Jonny Clayton as Welsh number one in the order of merit, a distinction he admitted wanting above all else this week.
- Sunday's final pits Littler's cold statistical dominance — nine wins from nine against Price, never beaten in a match longer than 15 legs — against Price's theatrical intensity and desperate search for a new angle of attack.
In the seaside theatre of Blackpool, a young man named Luke Littler continued his quiet conquest of professional darts, dismantling Dirk van Duijvenbode with a precision that left little room for drama. His path to Sunday's World Matchplay final is paved with 28 consecutive victories in long-format play and nine straight wins over his waiting opponent, Gerwyn Price. What unfolds is less a story of sport than one of a generation's talent pressing against the boundaries of what has come before — and the curious weight that history places on those who dare to reach for it.
Luke Littler arrived at the World Matchplay final in Blackpool the way he has arrived at most things this year — with an efficiency that borders on the unsettling. His 17-5 defeat of Dirk van Duijvenbode was effectively settled by the midpoint, Littler holding an 8-2 lead and averaging 117.10, a pace that would have eclipsed Phil Taylor's tournament record of 114.99.
That awareness of history, Littler later admitted, got into his head. His level dipped as the match wore on and he finished just below 111 — a small stumble in an otherwise commanding display. His overall tournament average of 110.88 still places him well ahead of Taylor's benchmark of 106.31. The win extends his streak to 28 consecutive victories in matches of 20 legs or more, a run dating back to his 2024 World Championship final defeat. He now stands on the verge of joining Taylor and Michael van Gerwen as the only back-to-back Matchplay champions.
Waiting for him is Gerwyn Price, who edged past Gian van Veen 17-10 in a semifinal that never quite found its footing. Price led 4-1 early, but the match grew scrappy and van Veen — broken nine times in 14 legs where he threw first — was unable to sustain any momentum. Price steadied in the closing stages, scoring better and finishing sharper, to pull clear. His reward beyond the final itself: a climb to fourth in the order of merit, displacing close friend Jonny Clayton as Welsh number one, something Price said he had wanted most from the week.
The numbers surrounding Sunday's final tell a stark story. Littler has beaten Price in each of their last nine meetings, and Price has never defeated him in a match longer than 15 legs. The best-of-35 format demands something new from the Welshman. Price is known for his roaring, theatrical intensity — tactics built to provoke and unsettle. When asked whether Price could get under his skin, Littler was unmoved. "As long as I can get into the lead," he said, "that will be the thing." It was the kind of quiet certainty that made the final feel, in some ways, already decided.
Luke Littler walked into the World Matchplay final in Blackpool on Saturday night the way he has walked through most things this year—with overwhelming efficiency. His 17-5 dismantling of Dirk van Duijvenbode was so complete that the unseeded Dutchman barely registered as opposition. By the time the match reached its midpoint, Littler had already built an 8-2 lead and was averaging 117.10, a pace that would have shattered Phil Taylor's tournament record of 114.99.
That pursuit of history, Littler would later admit, got into his head. Knowing he was on the verge of something historic seemed to tighten something in him. His level dipped as the match wore on, and he finished with an average just below 111. It was a small stumble in an otherwise dominant performance, but it left him still well positioned to beat Taylor's overall tournament average of 106.31. Littler's current mark stands at 110.88, a number that speaks to the consistency of his play across four matches in this competition.
The victory extends a streak that defies the normal rhythms of professional sport. Littler has now won 28 consecutive matches in games that go to 20 legs or more—a run that stretches back to his loss to Luke Humphries in the 2024 World Championship final. He is chasing the chance to become only the third player ever to win the Matchplay in back-to-back years, joining Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in that rarified air. His earnings from the PDC's order of merit have now topped £3 million, with a cushion of more than £2 million over the world number two.
Waiting for him in Sunday's final is Gerwyn Price, the Welsh seventh seed who dispatched Gian van Veen 17-10 in the other semifinal. Price's path was less serene than Littler's. He broke serve in the opening leg and built a 4-1 lead, but the match descended into a scrappy affair where both players struggled with consistency. By the final mini-break, Price held only a 11-9 advantage. From there, though, he found his rhythm—better scoring, sharper finishing—and pulled away to a comfortable win. Van Veen, the world number three, was broken nine times in 14 legs where he threw first, a punishing night that reflected the difficulty of the occasion.
Price's victory carries weight beyond the match itself. He climbs to fourth in the order of merit, which means he has displaced Jonny Clayton as Welsh number one. That displacement was, Price said afterward, the thing he wanted most going into the semifinal. The two are good friends, and Price spoke of the satisfaction in getting one over on Clayton in this particular way.
The final on Sunday will pit the sport's most dominant force against a player who has spent the week trying to find angles of attack. Littler and Price have faced each other nine times recently, and Littler has won every single one of those encounters. Price's last victory came in their opening meeting of 2026. More telling still: Price has never beaten Littler in a match longer than 15 legs. The best-of-35 final will demand something new from the Welshman. Price is known for his on-stage theatrics and roaring intensity, tactics designed to provoke and distract. Littler, when asked if Price can get under his skin, denied it flatly. "As long as I can get into the lead," Littler said, "that will be the thing." It was a statement of such calm certainty that it seemed to settle the question before the match even began.
Notable Quotes
Me and Gez always have great games. Gez will want to try and get me into a roaring battle.— Luke Littler, speaking to Sky Sports
Price said he was happy to reach the final but getting one up on good friend Clayton was his main focus.— Gerwyn Price, speaking to Sky Sports
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