PDC World Darts Championship Semi-Final Round-Up | Gian van Veen sets final showdown with Luke Littler after Gary Anderson epic

Gian van Veen produced a phenomenal semi-final to defeat Gary Anderson and, as a result, reached the final of the World Darts Championship for the first time in his career. He faces Luke Littler on Sunday January 4.

The Dutchman delivered an outstanding performance and repeatedly punished the Scot at the crucial moments. ‘The Flying Scotsman’ also played superbly himself with an average of just over 102, but Van Veen went even better with a 103 average and eventually edged the thriller 6–3 at the PDC World Darts Championship.

Anderson burst out of the blocks in the opening set, but it was Van Veen who claimed the first leg with an 80 finish. The Scot responded with a 72 checkout to level at 1–1, before producing an 11-darter to secure the first break of throw. Van Veen then missed a dart at tops for a 102 finish to break back, allowing Anderson to take the opening set 3–1.

In the second set, it was Van Veen who made the fast start. The Dutchman immediately fired in a 10-darter in the opening leg to break Anderson, before holding his own throw in 14 darts to consolidate the break and move 2–0 ahead. Anderson responded with another 72 finish to reduce the deficit to 2–1, but Van Veen sealed the set in style with a superb 117 checkout to level the match at 1–1.

He followed that up perfectly by checking out 107 in the opening leg of set three to take the lead. Anderson hit back to draw level, after which Van Veen edged ahead once more with an 18-darter in a slightly scrappier leg. Once again the Scot levelled, forcing a deciding leg. Van Veen was rock solid there, producing a 14-darter to move 2–1 ahead in sets. Anderson was unfazed and opened set four with a stunning 144 finish, but Van Veen responded immediately with a 76 checkout. Both players then held throw, meaning—just like the previous set—a deciding fifth leg was needed. Anderson had the darts this time, but once again it was Van Veen who delivered a sensational leg. The Dutchman was left on 47 after nine darts and took it out in two for an 11-darter, giving him a 3–1 lead in sets.

The fifth set was of an exceptionally high standard. Anderson opened with a 10-darter before producing a spectacular 170 finish to race into a 2–0 lead. It looked as though he would comfortably take the set, but Van Veen had other ideas. He responded with an 11-darter to make it 2–1, before checking out his own 170 for a 12-darter to level at 2–2. For the third set in a row, a deciding leg was required—and once again the Dutchman proved the stronger. A 15-darter saw him complete a remarkable turnaround and move 4–1 ahead in sets.

The quality remained extremely high, though the momentum began to shift slightly towards Anderson. He opened set six with an 87 finish, before Van Veen levelled things up. The Scot then fired in a 14-darter to regain the lead and followed it up by breaking Van Veen with an 81 checkout in 12 darts to reduce the deficit to 4–2 in sets. Van Veen was undeterred, however, and opened set seven with a 13-darter. Anderson drew level once more but failed to break the Dutchman, allowing Van Veen to move 2–1 ahead. ‘The Giant’ then missed two set darts of his own, forcing another deciding leg. Whereas Van Veen had won all of the previous deciders, this time it was Anderson who claimed it to close the gap to 4–3 in sets.

In the eighth set, Van Veen immediately broke Anderson and then held his own throw to move 2–0 ahead. He looked set to wrap up the set comfortably, but Anderson fought back to make it 2–1. Van Veen then missed four darts to take the set, allowing Anderson to level at 2–2 via double 18 and force yet another deciding leg. This time, Van Veen delivered a fine 14-darter to move 5–3 ahead in sets.

In set nine, the first two legs went with the throw, but in the third leg Anderson broke Van Veen with a superb 121 finish on the bullseye. The Dutchman kept his composure and broke straight back to force a fifth and deciding leg. Van Veen had the darts and made them count, firing in a 13-darter to seal a 6–3 victory and become the third Dutch player to reach the final of the World Darts Championship.

Luke Littler is the second finalist at this World Championship. He proved far too strong for his compatriot Ryan Searle in the semi-finals, winning convincingly 6–1. The opening set was evenly matched. Searle held throw in the opening leg to move ahead, before Littler responded with a 13-darter. The 18-year-old then missed three darts in the third leg to break Searle, allowing ‘Heavy Metal’ to edge back in front at 2–1 via tops. Littler produced a superb 10-darter to force a deciding leg, but was unable to break. Searle duly took the leg with a 14-darter to win the opening set.

In the second set, Littler took control. He began strongly by holding his own leg in 13 darts, before punishing a poor leg from Searle to break him in 17 darts and move 2–0 ahead. ‘Heavy Metal’ responded in 15 darts to make it 2–1, but Littler closed the set in style with an 11-darter to level the match at 1–1.

Set three was again closely contested. Searle started well by holding throw with a 76 finish, but Littler immediately levelled with a 13-darter. ‘Heavy Metal’ regained the lead with a 14-darter, yet once more Littler hit back to force a deciding leg, just as he had in the first set. Searle missed a set dart in that leg, allowing ‘The Nuke’ to break and move 2–1 ahead in sets. The fourth set proved far more one-sided. Littler stepped up a gear, firing in a 14-darter and a 12-darter to move 2–0 ahead before sealing the set with a 110 checkout to lead 3–1.

The fifth set followed a similar pattern. Littler produced a superb 11-darter to break Searle straight away, and after ‘Heavy Metal’ missed four darts at doubles, he quickly extended his lead to 2–0. A 100 finish then completed another 3–0 set, taking Littler 4–1 clear.

That pattern continued in the sixth set, with Littler once again clearly the superior player. Having already won sets four and five 3–0, he also claimed the sixth by the same scoreline, winning 11 legs in a row and moving to within one set of victory. That final set came immediately. Although Searle finally got on the board with a fine 170 finish and later moved 2–1 ahead, it was once again Littler who took control, closing out the set and sealing a dominant 6–1 victory.