Luke Littler recovers from 9-6 down to see off Josh Rock and set-up semi-final showdown with Danny Noppert in Wolverhampton
Luke Littler produced one of the great Grand Slam of Darts fightbacks on Friday night as the teenage sensation roared back from 9–6 down to beat a superb Josh Rock and clinch his place in the semi-finals, where he will face Dutch star Danny Noppert.
In a match that will be replayed for years, Littler showed extraordinary grit, maturity and big-match composure, winning seven of the last eight legs to complete a stunning 16–12 victory at Aldersley Leisure Village.
Rock strikes first — and looks unstoppable
Josh Rock brought firepower early, racing into leads of 6–3 and then 9–6 thanks to clinical finishing and a flurry of 180s. At that stage, the Northern Irishman looked on course for revenge after the pair’s famous epic at the 2025 World Matchplay.
Rock averaged over 102 for long periods and looked in full control, frequently outscoring Littler in the middle phase.
But Littler — as he has so often done in major tournaments — dug deep.
The momentum turns: Littler erupts
With Rock three legs from victory, Littler suddenly ignited, producing back-to-back 12-darters to break throw and flip the match on its head.
A huge 130 checkout on the bull levelled the contest at 9–9 and sent the Wolverhampton crowd into chaos.
From there, the Nuke never looked back.
He tightened up his scoring, found relentless rhythm on treble 20, and piled pressure onto Rock, who began to fade after missing several key doubles at 11–10.
Littler’s closing surge included:
- Four legs in 13 darts or fewer
- Six 180s across the final eight legs
- A match average of 104.7
- An 11/15 checkout run during the comeback
“I had to dig in — Josh pushed me to the limit”
Speaking afterward, Littler praised Rock for his role in another classic between the two young stars.
“Josh was unbelievable tonight. I had to dig in deep. When I was 9–6 down I just told myself to relax and go through my throw. The crowd helped me, and once I found a rhythm, I felt good.”
He added that he “always believes” he can turn matches around, no matter the scoreline.
Rock: Proud but gutted
Josh Rock admitted the defeat stung, especially after controlling most of the contest.
“I played well for a long time, but you can’t give Luke chances — he punishes everything. I’m proud of what I did up there, but of course it hurts.”
The pair shared a warm hug on stage, underscoring the respect in one of darts’ fastest-growing rivalries.
Noppert awaits — a tactical battle incoming
Littler now faces Danny Noppert, who booked his semi-final place earlier with a disciplined win over Rob Cross.
Noppert is known for his slow, measured style — a complete contrast to Littler’s explosive pace — setting up a fascinating tactical clash.
Head-to-head: Littler vs Noppert
- Matches played: 3
- Littler wins: 2
- Noppert wins: 1
- Average difference: Littler +4.6
Their last meeting, at the European Championship, ended 10–5 to Littler.
What’s at stake?
- A place in Sunday’s Grand Slam final
- A shot at one of the PDC’s most prestigious trophies
- Ranking implications with the world No.1 race still alive
Littler is targeting his second straight Grand Slam final, while Noppert is chasing the biggest televised final of his career.
