{"success":true,"data":{"id":"5e7d558d-a0fc-4cd5-854b-83626158a2d5","title":"Littler sets up Price final at World Matchplay","summary":"A-Z Sports Littler sets up Price final at World Matchplay Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Luke Littler is aiming to become just the third back-to-back winner of the World Matchplay By Callum Matthews BBC Sport senior journalist Published 5 minutes ago Defending champion Luke Littler stroll...","content":"**A-Z Sports**\n\n# Littler sets up Price final at World Matchplay\n\n![Image 1: Luke Littler looks on during the World Matchplay](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/791/cpsprodpb/d635/live/5889b310-8870-11f1-9aec-9b63173aa8df.jpg)Image source, Getty Images\n\nImage caption, \n\nLuke Littler is aiming to become just the third back-to-back winner of the World Matchplay\n\nBy Callum Matthews\n\nBBC Sport senior journalist\n\n*   Published 5 minutes ago \n\n**Defending champion Luke Littler strolled into the World Matchplay final with a 17-5 demolition of unseeded Dirk van Duijvenbode in Blackpool.**\n\nThe world number one raced in an 8-2 advantage and was averaging 117.10 and on course to beat Phil Taylor's tournament match average record of 114.99\n\nLittler admitted afterwards that distracted him and his level did drop slightly as he finished with an average just below 111.\n\nHowever, that leaves him well placed to beat Taylor's tournament average of 106.31, with Littler's currently at 110.88.\n\nThe teenager's victory also means he has now amassed more than £3m in the PDC's order of merit, and is more than £2m clear of world number two Luke Humphries.\n\nLittler will face Wales' Gerwyn Price in Sunday's final after he beat Netherlands' Gian van Veen 17-10.\n\nSunday's final gets under way at 20:05 BST, with the Women's World Matchplay taking place in the afternoon session from 13:00 – Beau Greaves and defending champion Lisa Ashton the top two seeds.\n\n## Price replaces Clayton as Welsh number one\n\nPrice broke in the opening leg of the game and charged into a 4-1 lead, before a scrappy run of legs saw both players break throw regularly to leave Price leading 11-9 at the final mini-break.\n\nFrom there, the seventh seed powered on and stretched away from Van Veen in scoring and finishing to seal a comfortable victory.\n\nBoth players missed 23 darts at a double across the match, while Van Veen was broken nine times in 14 legs throwing first on what was a difficult night for the world number three.\n\nThe victory sees Price climb to fourth in the order of merit, above Jonny Clayton, and in turn becomes Welsh number one.\n\nPrice told Sky Sports he was \"happy\" to reach the final, but \"getting one up\" on good friend Clayton was his main focus going into the tie.\n\n_**Follow live text coverage of the men's World Matchplay on the BBC Sport website and app from 19:30 BST on Sunday.**_\n\n    \n\n    *   Published 5 hours ago \n\n    \n\n    *   Published 9 July \n\n## Saturday's World Matchplay results\n\n*   (7) Gerwyn Price **17-10** Gian van Veen (3)\n\n*   Dirk Van Duijvenbode v Luke Littler (1)\n\n## Related topics\n\n## Shorts\n\nPrevious Next, 2 to 4 of 8\n\n*   2:11 Go behind the scenes at Team Scotland House. 00:02:11, play video Go behind the scenes at Team Scotland House![Image 2: Team Scotland house](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/400/cpsprodpb/5bb4/live/f36633a0-883d-11f1-b2ab-0dd01740f9f6.jpg) \n*   1:27 Watch out Ibiza - there's a heavyweight party coming! 00:01:27, play video Watch out Ibiza - there's a heavyweight party coming!![Image 3: Oleksandr Usyk](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400xn/p0p0vphp.jpg) \n*   0:42 Can England repeat 2018 Commonwealth netball success? 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