Littler Comebacks to Beat Rock, Noppert Wins Semis Spot

Luke Littler, the defending champion of the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts, staged a dramatic comeback from a 9-6 deficit to defeat Josh Rock 16-12 in the quarterfinals on Saturday night in Wolverhampton, England, advancing to the semifinals against Danny Noppert. In the evening's other match, Noppert delivered a commanding performance to beat Lukas Wenig 16-8, completing the lineup for Sunday's last-four clashes.

The 18-year-old Littler, who entered the tournament as the world champion and has remained unbeaten across 12 matches in the event, trailed early against the Northern Irish world number 10. Rock seized the initiative with strong scoring, including three 12-dart legs and an average exceeding 110 during a mid-match burst that built his lead. Both players traded high-quality legs, with Rock securing a 9-6 advantage after Littler missed a double in the 14th leg. Rock finished with 12 maximum 180s and an average of 101.46, compared to Littler's 11 maximums and 105.18 average.

Littler responded with seven consecutive legs to surge ahead 13-9, featuring finishes of 74, 71, 90 on the bull, 96, and 81. Rock clawed back two legs, including an 11-dart break, narrowing the gap to...