Luke Littler cruises past Nathan Aspinall to set up World Championship semi-final clash with Stephen Bunting
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The favourite was in ominous form against Aspinall to set up a meeting with the dangerous Bunting, while Michael van Gerwen will take on Chris Dobey in the other last four encounter. Luke Littler advanced to the semi-finals of the World Darts Championship for a second year running as he cruised past Nathan Aspinall 5-2 in their last-eight clash.
![[Stephen Bunting is next up for Luke Littler]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/01/20/newFile-1.jpg)
The 17-year-old made 15 maximums, taking his tally for the tournament past the half-century mark, and capitalised on Aspinall’s inability to finish his own opportunities as he made it look relatively comfortable. Aspinall extended the contest by getting it back to 4-2 but Littler closed it out as he looks to cap an outstanding first year on the PDC Tour - in which he was won 10 titles - with his first world crown.
![[Michael van Gerwen kept his pursuit of a fourth world title allive]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/01/15/newFile-1.jpg)
“I think we both played very well there,” Littler said on Sky Sports. “I’m so glad to win. The crowd were chanting for Nathan, they wanted the comeback, but I had to finish it... “The Ryan Meikle game (in the second round) was very tough but ever since it has felt like last year. I’m just playing with absolute confidence.
“When they’re going in I’m playing with freedom, but now I’m looking on to the semi-finals.”. Littler will face Stephen Bunting, who saw off Peter Wright 5-2 earlier in the evening to reach the semi-finals for the first time in four years. Bunting stormed into a 4-0 lead against a struggling Wright, and although the Scot rallied by pulling two sets back, he had left himself too much to do.
