James Wade averaged over 100 and hit all four of his darts at double in New York, but Luke Littler still beat him 7-4 in the US Darts Masters semi-finals at Madison Square Garden.
The result did not bring Wade a final, yet the manner of it matters. He had already beaten Gerwyn Price 6-3 in the quarter-finals, despite Price averaging 103.93, before putting Littler under enough pressure to make the world number one work for his place in the showpiece.
That is the kind of performance marker Wade will want to carry towards Blackpool. The left-hander remains one of the cleanest leg managers in the sport, and a perfect doubling return against Littler is a reminder that his television ceiling is still dangerous when the rhythm settles.
Wade Signal Arrives Before Blackpool
Littler eventually moved through with a 7-4 win and later lost an 8-7 final to Luke Humphries, but Wade’s semi-final numbers stood out in the wider finals-night picture. Sky Sports reported that Wade averaged over a ton and converted all four of his attempts at double against Littler.
For Littler, it was another high-pressure win on a stage where every crowd surge was amplified. For Wade, it was proof that the Price win was not a one-off spike. He left New York without the trophy, but with a timely warning attached to his name before the World Matchplay field gathers at the Winter Gardens.
