Littler chasing 'special' Matchplay title against Wade after nine-dart magic

Luke Littler is targeting more darting history and a maiden Betfred World Matchplay title after a stunning nine-darter helped him book a final against James Wade in Blackpool.

The world No 2 fired the perfect leg during a gripping contest against Josh Rock at the Winter Gardens, helping him battle back from 6-1 down to claim a 17-14 victory and remain favourite to lift the Phil Taylor Trophy.

Littler was barely six months old when Wade won the 2007 World Matchplay, with 'The Nuke' now having the opportunity to break his record as the youngest winner in the tournament's history.

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The 18-year-old can also become just the fifth player to complete the 'Triple Crown', following on from Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries, having already won the Premier League last May and the World Championship in January.

"It's going to be special," Littler said in his post-match press conference. "It's been a long time since I picked up a trophy, winner or runner-up. But for myself, win or lose, I just take it on the chin - but obviously, I want to get the win.

"I won't be putting pressure on myself. Obviously, the Triple Crown's there to be won and we'll just see how it goes tomorrow.

"The experienced guys, they're still here, they've got the experience but for myself, I've got a lot of experience of picking up the World Championship.

"I think I've settled into almost every competition that I walk into. I'm sure it'll be a great game tomorrow and I can't wait to come back here.

"I've been relaxed all week long. There's no need to start putting pressure on myself, saying you've got to win this, you've got to do this. If it comes, it comes. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But so far, it's been good."

Littler delivered a subdued reaction to producing the nine-darter in the eighth leg, where Rock also opened with back-to-back maximums, then rallied from being 7-3 down to win eight of the next 10 legs on his way to a thrilling victory.

"I didn't celebrate [the nine-darter] because I was still annoyed with myself," Littler explained. "I think if I give it a bit of emotion, maybe I might have dropped off a bit.

"As soon as that nine-darter went in, I think I started to pick it up and played a lot better."

When asked how it compared to Michael Smith's 'perfect leg' in the 2023 World Championship final, Littler added: "I think it [his] is the greatest. All of them, the trebles and the double, were perfect."

Sunday's meeting will be a repeat of March's UK Open final, where Littler ran out 11-2 winner, while Wade came through his own thrilling semi-final encounter - squandering a six-leg lead before beating Jonny Clayton 20-18 - to book a seventh World Matchplay final appearance.

"Obviously, I got the win over him there, so I know the feeling of getting a major win over him, but he's been here plenty of times," Littler added. "James [Wade] is one of the very best. But obviously, I've come along and I've done what I've done.

"I think I can get a lot better on doubles. I say it every interview, whoever I speak to. It comes out my mouth because I want them to be better. But the more shots you get at them, you know what to do. You know how to find them.

"As a whole this week, it's been very good and there's one game to go."

Wade's match against Clayton was the longest-ever semi-final in World Matchplay history, leaving him 'exhausted' but 'really happy' to reach another TV major final and his first in Blackpool since 2015.

"I'm just so happy to win that game," said Wade. "I think that goes up there with some of the best games ever - I'm ecstatic, tired, exhausted and really happy.

"I think I should have won by a margin but I also nearly threw it away. I lost focus and I probably should have sorted it out a lot quicker - but I managed to hang on.

"I was just praying for Jonny to miss that last finish, because he pinned a load of them. The one that was most important, obviously the pressure did get to him a little bit. I guess I put him under enough pressure to do so."

Watch the Women's World Matchplay live on Sunday from 1pm on Sky Sports+ ahead of the World Matchplay final live from 7.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+. Not got Sky? Stream without a contract.