"It's going to take something special for another player to beat me": Luke Littler fires warning to remaining World Matchplay rivals after emphatic Rock win
PDC
A 16-7 win for Luke Littler as he took down Josh Rock who himself averaged 100 but it wasn't enough as again 'The Nuke' stormed to an easy win with a near 110 average.
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It wasn't the 113 heroics and a nine-darter of the other night against Nathan Aspinall, but still as he aims for further World Matchplay success, it perhaps wasn't needed. Rock stepped it up, but in the end it wasn't enough.
Littler now faces Dirk van Duijvenbode in the semi-finals and he fired a warning to the rest of the field that in reality it's going to take something wildly special to beat him.
"I feel really good on stage. My preparation beforehand has been going really well. It's just relaxing, practising, relaxing again, and I'm glad I can keep producing these performances on the big stage," said Littler post match to the media including DartsNews.com.
Littler is averaging over 110 across more than 60 legs which if he kept it up would be the greatest World Matchplay performance. It wasn't something Littler who is usually keyed in on stats was aware of, but he said that he saw Price was towards the top for most legs played in the tournament. So he does pay attention to some stats.
"I wouldn't say I'm aware of it. I saw something yesterday about Gezzy being near the top for the most legs played in this tournament. That's not where you want to be. You want to get the job done without going into those win-by-two situations. As long as I keep performing like that, I'll be happy."
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Asked if he feels unbeatable when he is playing like he is, he said that in reality his main port of call was getting into the next break ahead and away from Rock which is what he did. "After the second break, coming into the 11th leg, I just told myself I had to go into the next break with the lead.
"At 5-3 I think I left 342 when I should have been on 442. I rarely do that and I paid the price because Josh won that leg and then the next one. I wasn't happy going into the break level. I just said to myself to make sure I led going into the third break."
Luke Littler moves into the semi-finals.
Emulating Phil Taylor
Phil Taylor often feels like a cliche when it comes to Littler who is compared to him in every press conference and he was asked if he can emulate him in Blackpool.
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"I feel like I can. A 109 average, then a 113, then back to a 109 — that comes with the big finishes, the 180s and the scoring power as well. As long as I can keep that up, I'm sure I can dominate. But first, next game, let's try and get it back up to the 113s."
Littler has a superb record over Rock and he said that he wasn't aware of it, but that he knew that Rock was very much winning ugly and that he knew he'd step it up against him after last year's semi-final epic.
"I wouldn't say I was aware of the record. Before the match I said Josh hadn't been producing his best averages, but he'd still found a way to win his first two matches. I knew he'd step it up against me, and he did with another 100-plus average. I was just that little bit better."
He hasn't had any close shaves really this tournament, and he defined his strategy as getting out early and then just running away with it. He hopes to do the same when he faces Dirk van Duijvenbode next. "Definitely. I always want to come flying out of the traps, get an early lead and put my opponent under pressure.
"I don't think I managed that in the first ten legs today, but after that Josh was definitely chasing the game a little bit. That's what I'll want to do against Dirk as well — put him under pressure early."
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Luke Littler - It will take something special to beat me.
£3million awaits and elite mindset
Littler as was reported today is on the verge of reaching £3million in the Order of Merit and that he does think abou it. "I checked the rankings the other day and I think if I keep winning I'll go past the £3 million mark.
"As long as I'm playing like this and producing these numbers, it's going to take something special from another player to beat me. I've just got to keep going."
Littler's elite mindset is often marvelled at and he said that the pressure situations started early and he has developed to learn to deal with them. "It's developed over time. Even back on the Development Tour I wanted to win as much as I could and I finished right near the top, which helped me get onto the main tour.
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"Since my first World Championship I've just kept improving as a player and mentally as well. If I get into pressure situations now, I know how to deal with them."
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
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- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026