On Friday, Ryan Searle will play Luke Littler in the opening match of the evening, as Littler seeks a third straight appearance in the final, while Searle is looking to extend his personal best result at a WC. The second game of the evening is between multi-time world champion Gary Anderson and 23-year-old Dutchman Gian van Veen.

And Van Veen had done it. He kept his cool in the final leg and landed D16 at the end, on his first attempt, to seal his place.

After losing the first set, Littler won six in a row to see off Ryan Searle 6-1, reaching his third final in three appearances