Gary Anderson joked the only way he’d be able to beat Luke Littler is by giving the teenager a ‘hard kick in the shins’ before the pair meet in tomorrow’s Grand Slam of Darts semi-final.
Anderson booked his spot in the last four with a victory over Gian van Veen, keeping alive hopes of winning the Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
He’s been a four-time semi-finalist in the past but has never been able to get over the line.
If 2024 is to be his year, Anderson will have to beat teenage sensation Littler, who broke a sensational record during his quarter-final clash against Jermaine Wattimena.
Littler recorded the largest-ever winning margin in a Grand Slam game, defeating his Dutch opponent 16-2.
The World Championship runner-up looked irresistible at the oche, averaging well over a ton, hitting 12 180s and converting 60 per cent of his checkouts.
For the second time this week, Littler missed double 12 for a nine-darter, with the 17-year-old the understandable favourite for Sunday’s title.
When asked about the pair’s first-ever meeting, Anderson told Sky Sports: “I watched the game, he was fantastic. We were sitting upstairs watching it saying ‘this is going to be done [quickly]’.
“Jermaine has played well, but Luke was different gravy.”
And when quizzed on how he plans to defeat the devastating teen, Anderson cheekily replied: “I might just give him a hard kick in the shins before I come on… we’ll see.”
The two-time world champion will be up against it on Sunday, with Littler admitting he’s in sensational form after battering Wattimena.
He told Sky Sports: “I felt very confident coming into tonight, I just thought to myself it’s little bursts. ‘First to five break, first to five break.’
“I played so well, I’m so happy. Fair play to Jermaine. I was just too good tonight.”
He continued: “When you’re playing that good you feel it coming. Every time I go for a 180 they expect it [a nine-darter].
“As a player you do feel it coming, [got to] take time but hopefully it does come.”
As well as securing the Grand Slam title in his competition debut, Littler has an added incentive to go for gold, given he’ll move to fifth in the rankings with a win.
Littler currently sits 18th having rocketed up the standings since making his World Championship debut last year.
Mickey Mansell and Martin Lukeman go head-to-head in the other semi-final, with the duo also competing in the Grand Slam last four for the first time.