Teenager Luke Littler to take on Rob Cross in historic World Darts Championship glory

In a press conference at Alexandra Palace, the 16-year-old darts player said his win was "unbelievable".

Teenager Luke Littler will aim to move a step closer to World Darts Championship glory after favourite Michael van Gerwen crashed out of the tournament.

The 16-year-old has taken Alexandra Palace by storm, becoming the youngest semi-finalist ever after beating Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-final on New Year's Day.

He will no longer have to meet Van Gerwen in the final after the three-time champion suffered one of the biggest shock exits in recent times: losing 5-3 to Scott Williams.

Luke Littler, who was born in Runcorn but lives in Warrington, will now face 2018 winner Rob Cross in the semi-finals on Tuesday, 2 January.

Littler could be on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, but even he has admitted that it is going to “take a lot” to stop his rival.

“It feels unbelievable. I would never have thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year,” he said.

“Brendan was just another opponent in my way and I have brushed him aside and now I am into the semi-final.

“It’s going to take a lot to stop me, based on my performances so far. But it is about whatever Luke Littler turns up.

“I have got the ability to go all the way, if it’s not to be tomorrow night, it’s not to be.

“I know I have got a good chance and I have got a good feeling I could go all the way tomorrow.”

Rob Cross, who Littler will go face-to-face with on Tuesday, 2 January, has enjoyed watching Littler’s emergence, but says there will be no room for sentiment.

“Everyone loves an underdog story,” he said. “As the public and people looking at the game, everyone loves an underdog story.

“I am not being rude, I am on Luke’s side, I love an underdog story. It took a bit of pressure off me winning it first time as well.

“He’s fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world, he is a nice, young boy. Tomorrow we play darts, though, and I have to go down to business.”

It has been quite a tournament for Scott Williams, who had to apologise for insensitive comments about the war after beating Germany’s Martin Schindler earlier in the tournament.

But he let his darts do the talking in a career-best performance, outscoring his illustrious opponent.

Williams will now meet pre-tournament favourite Luke Humphries, who breezed past Dave Chisnall in the other quarter-final.

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