Nine-Dart Littler and Veteran Wade Set Up Epic Blackpool Final
Wow—what a night it was in Blackpool at the 2025 Betfred World Matchplay! If you missed the semi-finals, you missed one of the most dramatic nights in darts history. We’re now all set for a blockbuster final between rising sensation Luke Littler and the ever-resilient James Wade, and there’s a lot to unpack from what went down on Saturday.
Let’s start with that nine-darter. Luke Littler pulled off an absolute showstopper, hitting perfection with a nine-dart finish during a high-octane semi-final against Josh Rock. And it wasn’t just the nine-darter—this match was a record-breaker. Littler and Rock combined for 29 maximum 180s, the most ever in a World Matchplay match! It was breathtaking darts from both players, but Littler ultimately stormed back from 6–1 down to claim a 17–14 win. He was laser-focused—even when hitting the nine-darter, there wasn’t a huge celebration from him. Instead, he just knuckled down and went to work, eventually seizing the match with confidence.
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Josh Rock deserves massive credit too. He was leading early on, even sweeping the first five legs. And with finishes like 170 and 120 in the closing stages, he proved he was ready to challenge the biggest names. But in the end, Littler's mental strength and scoring power just overwhelmed him.
Now, over to James Wade. What a marathon that was! His clash with Jonny Clayton became the longest semi-final in World Matchplay history—38 legs in total. Wade looked to have it wrapped up at 16–10, but Clayton, nicknamed "The Ferret", refused to go quietly. He rattled off six legs in a row to tie things up. But Wade, nicknamed "The Machine" for a reason, held his nerve and sealed the win 20–18 with a calm double-nine finish, right after Clayton missed his shot to force a decider.
It’s worth noting—Wade was 80-1 at the start of this tournament. Yep, 80-1. But now here he is, in his seventh World Matchplay final, rolling back the years and reminding everyone why he's a legend of the sport. Littler, on the other hand, is the 1/6 favourite and aiming to become the youngest-ever winner of this historic event.
What makes this final even more intriguing is their history—Littler thrashed Wade 11-2 in the UK Open final back in March. But don’t count Wade out. He’s in form, he’s fired up, and he knows exactly what it takes to win on this stage.
The final is set to be electric. Experience vs youth. Past glory vs rising dominance. All eyes now turn to the Empress Ballroom on Sunday for what promises to be a truly unforgettable showdown.
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