Littler & Rock Set Up Blockbuster Semi-Final After Thrilling Quarter-Final Wins

World No.2 Luke Littler and Josh Rock both came through magnificent quarter-final clashes against tough opposition. Littler was pushed all the way by a defiant Andrew Gilding, while Rock produced a superb all-round performance to stop the in-form Gerwyn Price, who had looked almost unplayable in recent weeks.

Let’s take a closer look at all the action…

Josh Rock & Gerwyn Price sharing an embrace on the Winter Gardens stage (Photo by: Taylor Lanning)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (2) Luke Littler 16 - 14 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Andrew Gilding

Luke Littler opened the contest with a steady 17-dart hold and nearly doubled his advantage, but narrowly missed double 10 for a 140 checkout. Gilding capitalised with a clean double 8 to level. ‘The Nuke’ then moved ahead with a 12-darter and a 95 finish, only for Gilding to respond with a 13-darter. Littler held again with a 14-dart leg to edge 3–2 in front at the first break.

After the interval, Littler missed two darts at tops to break and go 4–2 ahead, and Gilding punished with another tidy double 8. From there, Littler pressed the accelerator with a stunning burst of three consecutive legs in 13, 11, and 15 darts to power into a 6–3 lead. Gilding, however, showed immense composure to defy back-to-back 180s from his opponent and produce a brilliant 11-dart hold to cut the gap to 6–4 at the second break.

‘Goldfinger’ then punished two misses from Littler at the outer ring to break in 18 darts and reduce the deficit to 6–5. But Littler immediately broke back with a 15-darter, then held in 16 darts to stretch his lead to 8–5. Gilding responded with a composed 15-dart hold, but Littler remained unfazed, finding a 14-darter to take a 9–6 advantage into the third interval.

Gilding came out firing with a 14-dart hold for 9–7, but Littler produced a sensational 12-darter and 140 checkout to reassert control at 10–7. The 18th leg turned scrappy, with both players missing chances before Gilding found double 1 for a 22-dart hold. Littler responded again, this time with a 14-dart hold followed by a 14-dart break, punishing a miss at tops from Gilding to open up a 12–8 lead.

After the final break, Gilding hit back with a sublime 124 checkout for a 12-dart break to close the gap to 12–9. However, he missed one dart at double top in the next leg, and Littler ruthlessly cleaned up 81 in two darts for an 11-dart break, followed by a 15-dart hold to open up a commanding 14–9 lead.

Still, Gilding refused to lie down. After Littler missed double 11 for a 142 checkout, Gilding held in 14 darts, then broke with a 72 finish on the bull. He followed that with a sensational 160 checkout with Littler sat on 40, prompting a smile and nod of respect from the reigning World Champion as the score narrowed to 14–12.

Littler remained composed, finding a 16-dart hold to move within one of the match at 15–12. But Gilding kept coming, producing back-to-back 12-darters, first finishing 81 on the bull, then pinning a superb 127 to break, making it 15–14. Gilding beamed in disbelief at the comeback he had engineered.

But Littler, showing the nerve of a champion, opened the 30th leg with a ton followed by back-to-back 180s and let out a roar as he sensed the finish line. He then pinned 41 in two darts, an incredible 11-darter under immense pressure to break throw and seal a thrilling 16–14 victory. The two players embraced at the end of a gripping encounter that saw Littler pushed to the limit but book his place in the semi-finals.

Match Stats:

Littler: 103.91 average | 180s: 18 | 43.24% on Doubles (16/37)

Gilding: 98.45 average | 180s: 7 | 56% on Doubles (14/25)

🇬🇧 Josh Rock 16 - 11 (11) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gerwyn Price

Gerwyn Price started strongly with a 13-dart break, but Rock hit back immediately after Price missed a dart at tops, breaking in 14 darts to level. From there, the opening mini-session went with throw, Rock took out 120 for an 18-dart hold, Price responded with a 15-darter, and Rock closed out the session with a 64 finish under pressure for a 15-dart leg to lead 3–2 at the first interval.

Price came out firing after the break, holding in 13 darts and then punishing two misses from Rock at double 4 to break in 14 darts and move 4–3 ahead. But Rock responded with a sensational three-leg burst, a 110 checkout to break back in 15 darts, a 13-dart hold, and a stunning 10-darter that denied Price a shot at double giving ‘Rocky’ a 6–4 lead heading into the second interval.

As had been the trend, Price opened the next session in style, landing a sensational 170 checkout. Rock smiled and gave a fist bump of appreciation. A 15-dart hold followed, and then a superb 11-darter gave Price a third straight leg and a 7–6 advantage. But Rock responded again as Price failed to consolidate the break. The Northern Irishman broke in 13 darts and held in 13 to regain the lead at 8–7 heading into the third break.

Price, once more, won the opening leg after the interval, holding in 14 darts after Rock missed two darts at double with an 86 checkout in two darts to level at 8–8. Rock hit back with another three-leg run, legs of 17, 15, and 13 darts to pull clear again at 11–8. Price stayed in touch with a 13-dart hold to reduce the gap to 11–9.

A huge turning point came in the 21st leg, as Price missed two darts to cut the gap to one. Rock cleaned up 25 in two darts to move 12–9 ahead, then capitalised on a poor scoring leg from the Welshman to break in 15 darts and stretch his lead to 13–9.

Price fought back once again with a 14-dart break and followed up with a 15-dart hold to narrow the score to 13–11. But Rock held firm, restoring his three-leg cushion with a composed 80 checkout for 14–11. Price had the chance to hold again, but missed a dart at double 11, and Rock punished with a last-dart 58 finish to move within one leg of victory at 15–11.

With Price sat on 56 after 12 darts against the throw, Rock delivered a moment of magic. He nailed two treble 19s and followed with a perfect bullseye for a stunning 164 checkout to win a magnificent contest 16–11. Rock was bouncing across the stage, visibly emotional and struggling to hold back tears.

Price, ever the sportsman, gave his young opponent a warm embrace and even cracked a few smiles and jokes, acknowledging that he had been stopped by a truly outstanding performance. For Rock, this tournament is shaping up to be a real coming-of-age moment, delivering on the promise many have seen in him for years.

Match Stats:

Rock: 104.02 average | 180s: 10 | 57.14% on Doubles (16/28)

Price: 100.21 average | 180s: 8 | 57.89% on Doubles (11/19)

🔥 Up Next: Super Saturday Semi-Finals

Saturday night’s action at the Winter Gardens sets up two mouth-watering semi-final clashes. First, two experienced PDC veterans collide as James Wade takes on Jonny Clayton. Then, it’s a blockbuster showdown between the reigning World Champion Luke Littler and the reigning World Cup champion Josh Rock, a first-time meeting between the two most exciting and ferocious young talents in world darts.