Key events
Littler (4) 1-1 (0) Ratajski* A missed opportunity to break for Ratajski. He starts with a 180 and is first to a two-treble finish – but he misses the big single to set up a double and is inevitably made to pay.
*Littler (4) 0-1 (0) Ratajski The last quarter-final whitewash was in 2023, when Michael van Gerwen overwhelmed Chris Dobey, though Luke Humphries also beat Scott Williams 6-0 in the 2024 semi-final
Ratajski, who has played really well bar one or two key doubles, is determined to avoid a 5-0 defeat and holds his throw with Littler miles back on 261.
Littler wins the fourth set 3-2!
Littler 4-0 Ratajski Littler starts the deciding set with 58; Ratajski follows him with another 180. Ratajski stays ahead for most of the leg and misses the bull for a 167. He returns on 25 and has two more darts for the set, both on D8. They go awry and Littler cleans up with the aid of his best mate double 10.
It feels a bit harsh on Ratajski, who had his best set of the match, but that’s the game.
*Littler (3) 2-2 (0) Ratajski We’re heading for a deciding leg in the fourth set. A quality leg, which both players start with 180s, is won in 11 darts by Ratajski.
Littler (3) 2-1 (0) Ratajski* Littler misses the bull for his second 170 of the night. That leads to a bit of a dance around the board, but he has enough time to get the job done on D5.
*Littler (3) 1-1 (0) Ratajski The briefest of chances for Ratajski, who misses D14 for a 121 finish and a 2-0 lead in the set. Instead Littler hits tops to break back and stay on course for a 5-0 win in sets.
Littler (3) 0-1 (0) Ratajski* Admirable stuff from Ratajski, who breaks in 14 darts at the start of the fourth set. He’s playing well, averaging around 95, but Littler is just too good.
Littler wins the third set 3-0!
Littler 3-0 Ratajski Littler hits back-to-back 180s at the start of the leg. The crowd are on his side now, desperate for a nine-darter. His seventh set drops short of treble 20 and he ends taking out 100 for an 11-dart break.
Littler takes the set with an average of almost 119.
Littler (2) 2-0 (0) Ratajski* Both players start the leg with 180s. Littler is first to a finish, and though Ratajski puts pressure on him with a 174, Littler hits tops with his second dart. This game is surely done, already.
*Littler (2) 1-0 (0) Ratajski Thanks Niall, hello everyone. The crowd are singing Littler’s name again and he’s racing through this game: he hits another 180 before breaking on tops to make it five legs in a row.
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.
Rob Smyth
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.
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.
Scores on the doors
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.
*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.
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.
