Luke Littler wins the second set 3-0!
With Ratajski well adrift, Littler hits treble 20, double 20 to end the set in about four minutes. Brutal stuff. Time for me to hand over to the exceptional Rob Smyth …
*Littler (1) 2-0 (0) Ratajski Despite missing a dart at double 16, Ratajski will have three more darts to win the leg – but can’t get it done, and ends up busting on double one. That’s just the pressure of facing the champion – and Littler turns the screw by pinning double 10.
Littler (1) 1-0 (0) Ratajski* It’s first to five sets, and Littler has the throw in this set. He starts with vicious intent, checking out 128 on the bull for another 12-dart leg.
Luke Littler wins the first set 3-2!
Littler responds with a first maximum, putting the heat on his opponent. He has six darts to take out 170 – but he only needs three! It’s the big fish, marked by a reeling celebration. He seems to be enjoying himself out there.
Littler (0) 2-2 (0) Ratajski* Ratajski can’t nail a tricky checkout, and Littler has three darts at double top for the set … but he misses, and Ratajski lands double nine to keep the set alive!
*Littler (0) 2-1 (0) Ratajski With Littler poised on 80, Ratajski has to take out 121 – and just wires double 12. He is punished, even though Littler opens with treble one. He recovers with a treble 19, then double 10 to break.
Littler (0) 1-1 (0) Ratajski* Littler throws two treble 20s, then adds a double – a bit of showboating already! – and finishes off a 12-dart leg with the trusty double 10.
*Littler (0) 0-1 (0) Ratajski (*denotes next to throw first) A very solid start for Ratajski, landing double four to hold throw with Littler still finding his range.
As both players warm up, Littler gets a few more pantomime jeers – but then a lusty chorus of “walking in a Littler wonderland”. It’s almost like this Ally Pally crowd are notoriously fickle!
Walk-ons! Ratajski makes the long walk to the strains of Status Quo, with a fair few Polish fans waving scarves in the crowd. Now for Luke Littler … there are plenty of boos, a few cheers in response, and once Pitbull kicks in, everyone seems to have got over it. But it may be different when the match starts.
Luke Littler chats to Sky: “It’s a new year, a new day, and I’m fully focused. It’s the quarter-finals … if I play the way I did against Rob Cross, I’m sure I’ll win.” That interview was shown on the big screens at Ally Pally, and greeted with boos.
Evening everyone, Niall here to bring you the early stages of Luke Littler’s quarter-final. The walk-ons should be interesting. Littler is the heavy favourite, of course, but Krzysztof Ratajski can’t be written off.
The “Polish Eagle” isn’t one of the tour’s most dynamic player, but he’s shown excellent form here to reach the quarter-finals for a second time. Ratajski’s run is all the more impressive considering his health issues – he was diagnosed with an aneurysm in May 2024, and had to undergo two brain surgery procedures.
Littler v Ratajski
The brilliant Niall McVeigh is on duty for the start of this game – you can contact him on niall.mcveigh@theguardian.com. I’ll be back a bit later.
Good evening and welcome back to our live coverage of the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace. The Lukes are in action tonight. Littler plays Krzysztof Ratajski, a game he is expected to win comfortably, while Humphries meets Gian van Veen in a potential classic.
They’re all potential classics, but you know what we mean. If Littler’s match against the unseeded Ratajski – a very solid player but one whose ceiling is nowhere near Littler’s – goes as expected, the main focus will be on his relationship with the Ally Pally crowd.
Littler became embroiled, to use one of Wayne Mardell’s favourite words, during a barnstorming match against Rob Cross on Monday. It’d be nice if everybody remembered that Littler is 18 years old, that he has to deal with a pressure and expectation we cannot begin to understand, and place his questionable post-match comments in that context. But darts arenas aren’t known for being melting pots of empathy so goodness knows how tonight will play out.
Humphries v Van Veen is a step into the unknown for different reasons. You can probably make a case for either man being the second best player in the world right now. Humphries is the official No2; Van Veen is the last man other than Littler to win a major and has the highest average – for a single game and overall - at this tournament.
Van Veen won all four games against Humphries in 2025, including a 10-8 win at the World Matchplay and an 11-10 victory in the final of October’s European Championship, when he came from 3-0 down and then took 100 to break in the deciding leg with Humphries waiting on 20.
Humphries is still the favourite, because he’s Luke Effing Humphries, but this could be one for the books.
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Afternoon session: Searle and Anderson into semi-finals
That’s all for this afternoon’s coverage. Ryan Searle and Gary Anderson, good friends and practice partners, are into the semi-finals after 5-2 wins over Jonny Clayton and Justin Hood respectively.
The first game was all about the finishing, with Searle hitting 57 per cent of his doubles to Clayton’s 25. Anderson and Hood were all square after four sets, at which point Anderson went through the gears to win nine of the last 10 legs.
Thanks for your company. We’ll be back at 6.45pm ahead of a cracking evening session.
Luke Littler (1) v
the Ally Pally crowdKrzysztof Ratajski (unseeded)Luke Humphries (2) v Gian van Veen (10)
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Scores on the doors
Ryan Searle 5-2 Jonny Clayton
Gary Anderson 5-2 Justin Hood
Gary Anderson's reaction
I felt in control at some stages but then I’d make a mess of it and he’d check out. The next minute it’s 2-2 and I’m going, ‘Oh dear.’
I started get into a faster rhythm towards the end. I’m just glad to get over the line.
[Why can’t you win the worlds again?] No, no, next game first!
Gary Anderson beat Justin Hood 5-2!
Gary Anderson will play Luke Humphries or Gian van Veen tomorrow night after ending Justin Hood’s life-changing run. It was level after four sets; then Anderson went into overdrive, winning nine of the last 10 legs to settle the match. In the last three sets he averaged 104, 112 and 107.
Anderson made a bit of a meal of the last leg, missing four doubles. The crowd loved it and were willing Hood to take out one last big finish. He couldn’t manage it and Anderson hit D6 before turning to embrace Hood. The match was played in a brilliant spirit throughout.
*Anderson (4) 2-0 (2) Hood Anderson breaks Hood to move within a leg of victory. He has upped it big-time in the last three sets, both in the scoring and the doubling, and that was another 14-dart break.
Anderson (4) 1-0 (2) Hood* Anderson hits bull for 161 and gets a fistbump from a single Hood. Glorious stuff! He’s two legs away from the semi-finals.
Anderson wins the sixth set 3-1!
Anderson 4-2 Hood Fabulous darts from Anderson. He takes out 121 to clinch the set and move within one of the match. In fact, Anderson averaged 112.38 in that set, the best of the match because Hood also averaged 101.
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*Anderson (3) 2-1 (2) Hood We see it so often: a player misses a chance to break and is then broken in the next leg. And it has happened here at a crucial time. Hood misses two for a 76 finish, Anderson cleans up 98 on D19. Brilliant stuff from Anderson, who is now throwing for a 4-1 lead – and he has the darts in set six.
Hood has missed four doubles in the last two legs; they may cost him the match.
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Anderson (3) 1-1 (2) Hood* A seventh 180 gives Hood control on the Anderson throw. For once he’s loose on the doubles, missing tops and tens for a 100 finish. Anderson punishes him, taking out D12 for a 72 finish.
*Anderson (3) 0-1 (2) Hood Anderson threatens to break, leaving 104 after nine. Then he misses the big number, doesn’t get a shot at double and has to watch Hood hit D8 for an exceedingly important hold of throw.
Anderson wins the fifth set 3-0!
Anderson 3-0 Hood Not a scintilla of faffage from Gary Anderson, who takes the fifth set with a 104.86 average. Hood isn’t quite taking the Anderson sets off but he has saved his best for when he has the darts.
*Anderson (2) 2-0 (2) Hood Make that eight out of eight, although he did need Hood to miss two at double. I’ve seen it all now.
Anderson leads 11-6 in legs, but the match is going with throw. The joy of set play.
Anderson (2) 1-0 (2) Hood* Pop pop! A brilliant 127 finish gives Anderson the lead in the fifth set; he has won all seven legs in his sets.
“Happy new year Rob!” says Simon McMahon. “Hope you had a good one. I stayed up until half past midnight, there’s life in the old dog yet. Now a full day of drinking darts. Gary Anderson has been extremely impressive, at times even vintage, in this tournament so far. But I always expect him to lose when I watch, I think it comes from being Scottish. Though you can never really lose when you’re a darts fan, can you? There’s always something. Ryan Searle. Justin Hood. It’s the sport that just keeps on giving.”
Happy new year to Simon. Ah hell, happy new year to all of you.
I worry a bit of Anderson here; I wonder if Hood is starting to kill him with kindness. Anderson is at his best when he is totally focussed and slightly hacked off.
The match stats so far
Averages
Anderson 93.04
Hood 93.79
Doubles
Anderson 9/25 (39.13%)
Hood 6/8 (75%)
180s
Anderson 3
Hood 6
Hood wins the fourth set 3-2!
Anderson 2-2 Hood It’s all square again! Hood needs 120 for the set with Anderson on 144. After hitting single and treble 20, he stops to ask the crowd to make more noise, then returns to hit tops. Fantastic stuff! Hood’s doubling has been sensational.
Hood breaks back in set four!
Anderson (2) 2-2 (1) Hood* Anderson is in control of the set – until Hood hits a 180 to leave 45 for a break back. Anderson can’t set up from 106 and Hood hits with his first attempt at D16. That is so good. Anderson is slightly discombobulated and has to check who has the darts in the fifth leg. It’s Hood, who will level the match if he holds throw.
Updated
*Anderson (2) 2-1 (1) Hood Anderson has been half a dart ahead of Hood in the majority of the legs. This is no exception and he hits tops for a crucial break of throw. That could be a gamebreaker.
Anderson (2) 1-1 (1) Hood* A fifth 180 for Hood puts pressure on Anderson, who needs 60 for a hold. He holds his nerve to hit D10 last dart in hand.
*Anderson (2) 0-1 (1) Hood Big set, this. Hood has the darts and you feel like he probably needs to hold. Anderson misses four darts for a break – one at the bull, three at D15 – and Hood does the needful on tops.
Anderson wins the third set 3-0
Anderson 2-1 Hood Beautifully done by Gary Anderson, who wins all three legs in 15 darts to move ahead. It was his set, sure, but clean sweeps like that can bleed into the next set.
*Anderson (1) 2-0 (1) Hood Anderson misses the bull for a 12-dart break. Hood, on 152, can’t set up – he wasn’t helped by a deflection – and Anderson gets the job done. He’s throwing for the third set.
Anderson (1) 1-0 (1) Hood* There’s a game on here all right, and it’s being played in a fantastic spirit. Both players start the set with a maximum; Anderson extends it to five perfect darts and the two players smile broadly when an imperfect sixth dart is greeted with boos. Anderson eventually cleans up in 15 darts with Hood back on 140.
Hood could – probably should – have crumbled after being broken in the first leg of the second set. Instead he went three straight legs, two on the Anderson throw, with a 180 in each and a 100 finish. There was some poor stuff in between but the champagne moments more than made up for it.
Updated
Hood wins the second set 3-1!
Anderson 1-1 Hood An unreal set of darts from Justin Hood. He hits another 180 to put pressure on the Anderson throw; Anderson missed two for 96 and Hood cleans up 100 with his last dart. The crowd are making an almighty racket and Hood is loving every minute of it.
*Anderson (1) 1-2 (0) Hood Justin Hood is starting to settle. He hits his second 180 in as many legs before pinning D18 for a two-dart finish of 96. This guy looks a serious talent, particularly on stage.
Hood breaks back in set two
Anderson (1) 1-1 (0) Hood* Terrific stuff from Hood, whose first leg of the match is a 14-dart break on D8. Superbly played.
Updated
*Anderson (1) 1-0 (0) Hood This is a superb start from Anderson. He puts instant pressure on Hood’s throw, is first to a finish and goes out in 14 darts on tops.
Anderson wins the first set 3-0
Anderson 1-0 Hood Justin Hood misses a dart at tops for a break; Anderson returns to sweep the first set on D5.
Hood didn’t play badly (average 92) and ultimately that was just a set with the darts, but the first leg of the second set already feels like a big one.
*Anderson (0) 2-0 (0) Hood Anderson bulldozes his way to 181 after six darts against the throw. The leg slows down after that, for both players, before Anderson breaks on D16. He’s throwing for the set.
Updated
Anderson (0) 1-0 (0) Hood* A 14-dart hold for Gary Anderson to kick things off.
Gary Anderson will throw first. Game on!
“Ryan Searle appears to have three hands,” writes Magnus Johnson. “Isn’t that cheating?”
He can still only use one.
Updated
Next up: the great Gary Anderson against the surprise star of the tournament, Justin Hood, who hit a record 11 consecutive doubles in his win over Justin Rock. Hood has not fluked his way to the last eight: only Gian van Veen has a higher tournament average than his 101.97.
Ryan Searle's reaction
It means a lot. Neither of us played particularly well – I felt nervous and there was a lot on the line. I think my finishing under pressure was pretty good.
At least I’ll be on tomorrow night. I get to set my alarm late and have a lie-in for once!
I think I’m provisionally No7 in the world, which is crazy to me.
I can’t see particularly well, so if there are other people out there who want to play darts and can’t see particularly well, I hope I can be an inspiration.
Searle hit a 180 to take control of the leg and finished 38 on D8 after hitting single 19 and single three. It was the finishing wot won it: 57 per cent to Clayton’s 25.
He now has the uneviable task of facing Luke Littler (probably) in tomorrow’s semi-final. But that’s for another day: right now, and pending Gary Anderson’s result againts Justin Hood in a moment, he is the No7 in the world.
Ryan Searle beats Jonny Clayton 5-2!
The greatest moment in the career of Ryan Searle. After a bit of a wobble, he sweeps the seventh set to finally see off Jonny Clayton.
Searle (4) 2-0 (2) Clayton* Ryan Searle is one leg away from the semis after another superb two-dart finish, this time on 87. Clayton’s spirit may finally have been broken.
*Searle (4) 1-0 (2) Clayton Superb response from Searle, who breaks ruthlessly at the start of the fourth set: 14 darts culminating in a two-dart finish of 76. He’s still above 50 per cent on the doubles.
Updated
Clayton wins the sixth set 3-1!
Searle 4-2 Clayton Jonny Clayton isn’t the Ferret, he’s Tigger. He should have accepted defeat ages ago but he keeps bouncing back. He pumps another 180 and goes out in 11 darts to win the set against the throw. Searle is starting to look a bit edgy.
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Searle (4) 1-2 (1) Clayton* Hello! Clayton breaks in 16 darts and will throw for the set.
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*Searle (4) 1-1 (1) Clayton Saying which, Clayton hits a defiant 180 en route to a hold of throw. There were three more missed doubles but he got there on D16.
Updated
Searle (4) 1-0 (1) Clayton* That last set may finally have broken Clayton’s spirit. An easy hold takes Searle within two legs of the semi-finals, and a big jump to No7 or No8 in the world rankings. His record in this tournament is bonkers: 18-1 in sets.
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Truths, undeniable truths and statistics department
You just can’t get away from the importance of the finishing.
Searle 13/25 (52%)
Clayton 7/35 (20%)
Searle wins the fifth set 3-2!
Searle 4-1 Clayton A hammer blow from Ryan Searle, who hits tops for a 111 finish with Clayton waiting on 72. It was a nervy leg – until Searle refound the ruthless finishing of the first few sets. When the players return after the break, Searle will have the darts for a 5-1 win.
Searle (3) 2-2 (1) Clayton* Another twist as Clayton breaks straight back! He has outscored Searle all game and continues to do so despite all those missed doubles. There were two more in that leg, both at D14, but he hit it with his last dart. Searle was waiting on 68 for the set.
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*Searle (3) 2-1 (1) Clayton Clayton makes a horrible mess of 62, hitting single 15 with his first dart and missing double 16 with his third, and Searle breaks on tops! That feels like a huge moment because Searle is suddenly throwing for a 4-1 lead – and he has the darts in the next set.
Searle (3) 1-1 (1) Clayton* Searle holds by hitting his fourth attempt at tops – but Clayton had two at the same double for a break. The first clipped the wire; the second sneaked into D1.
*Searle (3) 0-1 (1) Clayton Clayton’s fifth 180 sets up a comfortable hold of throw at the stat of the fifth set, though inevitably he misses a couple on the outer ring before hitting D9.
If Clayton holds in the fifth set, the mood of this match could change pretty quickly. Searle suffered a traumatic 4-3 defeat to Gary Anderson in 2020 after being 3-1 up; that will be lurking somewhere in his subconscious.
The stats so far
Averages
Searle 93.16
Clayton 96.14
Doubles
Searle 10/18 (55.56 per cent)
Clayton 5/26 (19.23)
180s
Searle 2
Clayton 4
Clayton wins the fourth set 3-1!
Searle 3-1 Clayton Breaking news: after winning 17 in a row, Ryan Searle has lost his first set the World Championships. Fair play to Jonny Clayton, who keeps harassing treble 20 despite a soul-crushing performance on the doubles. He eventually goes out on 80, hitting D10 last dart in hand.
Searle (3) 1-2 (0) Clayton* Despite missing four more doubles, Clayton’s scoring is heavy enough that he has time to break on D2. He’s throwing for the set.
*Searle (3) 1-1 (0) Clayton Searle has three at tops but makes a mess of it, hitting D15, nothing and then single 15. Clayton can’t set up, however, and Searle returns to break on double two. He’s back in control of the set. And in the circumstances, this might be the performance of his life.
Updated
Searle (3) 0-1 (0) Clayton* You have to admire Clayton, who keeps coming back for more and has broken Searle at the start of the fourth set. It took him four darts at D16 but he got there in the end.
Searle wins the third set 3-1!
Searle 3-0 Clayton Seventeen sets in a row for Ryan Searle. Clayton again had chances – he held to make it 2-1 in the third set, then misses two at D16 for a break. Searle punished him, of course he did, and crucially that’s another set against the darts.
“Hi Rob!” says Joe Pearson. “First off, New Year’s Greetings to you! Your post about the finishing percentages reminded me of what Jack Nicklaus said about golf: ‘Drive for show, putt for dough’, and it applies in darts. Throw all the 180s you want, but if you can’t hit the doubles to finish, you’re screwed.”
Indeed it is. Bobby George had a similar phrase: “180s for show, doubles for dough.” Talking of Bob…
Searle (2) 2-0 (0) Clayton* Searle misses tops for a 104, Clayton does likewise for a 120 and Searle returns to finish the job. Clayton is officially in all sorts.
*Searle (2) 1-0 (0) Clayton This is getting away from Clayton in a hurry. Searle hits tops for a comfortable break at the start of the third. Clayton was outscoring Searle at the start but his trebles have started to dry up.
Searle leads 6-1 in legs, yet he is averaging 99 to Clayton’s 103. That’s because of the stark difference in the quality of their finishing:
Searle 6/9 (67 per cent)
Clayton 1/10 (come on, you can do it)
Searle wins the second set 3-0!
Searle 2-0 Clayton Ruthless stuff from Ryan Searle, who holds in 14 darts to storm into a two-set lead.
Updated
*Searle (1) 2-0 (0) Clayton Another break of throw for Searle! Clayton missed a dart at D16, a terrible effort, and Searle took out 116 on tops with the air of a man strolling to the paper shop on a brisk winter morning. His finishing has been outrageous.
Searle (1) 1-0 (0) Clayton*
Clayton’s scoring was superb in the first set and he picks up where he left off at the start of the second. But he misses four darts for a break and is punished on tops by Searle. Clayton’s doubling percentage is down to 11; Searle's is at 67.
Searle wins the first set 3-1!
Liquid darts from Ryan Searle! Jonny Clayton starts with five perfect darts against the throw and is waiting on 71 after nine. He’ll be waiting forever: Searle takes out 125 to tops to win the set against the throw. The averages attest to a spectacular start:
Searle 104.09 (75 per cent on doubles)
Clayton 113.34 (25 per cent)
Updated
*Searle (0) 2-1 (0) Clayton Both men hold, which means Searle is now throwing for to take his fifteenth straight set at this World Championships.
Searle breaks in the first leg!
*Searle (0) 1-0 (0) Clayton Clayton misses double double – 18 and tops – and Searle, whose finishing has been so good all tournament, calmly pops D12 to take out 96.
Updated
Jonny Clayton will throw first. Game on!
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A bit of housekeeping
There’s a long day ahead, and darts isn’t the most liveblog-friendly sport, so we might not do leg-by-leg coverage for every single set. If nothing else, this clown needs the occasional toilet break. But we’ll be posting updates every few minutes.
Jonny Clayton started the tournament as world No5. He moved to No5 by beating Andreas Harryson; a win today would lift him to No3, above Michael van Gerwen. Ryan Searle has already jumped from No20 to No13; a win today lifts him to No7. “Is that right, I don’t know,” says Searle, “but that’s the way the rankings work.”
Ryan Searle v Jonny Clayton
With all eyes elsewhere, Ryan Searle has quietly strolled into the quarter-finals with a perfect record: 14 sets won, none lost. I still fancy Jonny Clayton, mainly because of his experience. But if I had to put the farm on one of today’s matches going to nine sets, it’d probably be this one.
At the end we’ll have a first-time semi-finalist. Searle has never reached this stage before; Clayton’s only previous quarter-final was three years ago, when he lost 5-3 to Dimitri Van den Bergh.
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Preamble
Happy new year one and all. What better way to start 2026 than with a hangover, you’ve bloody done it again haven’t you, and what’s happened to grandad’s bottle of Kopke Colheita 1974 port quarter-final day at Ally Pally?
For darts fans – thoughts with non-darts fans at this difficult time – today is going to be long, gruelling and ceaselessly rewarding. Here’s the line up.
Afternoon session (starts around 12.45pm)
Ryan Searle (20) v Jonny Clayton (5)
Gary Anderson (14) v Justin Hood (unseeded)
Evening session (around 7.15pm)
Luke Littler (1) v Krzysztof Ratajski (unseeded)
Luke Humphries (2) v Gian van Veen (10)
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