The stage is set at Alexandra Palace. 96 players chased glory in the capital, and now just four remain.
It is the first time since 2010 that two unseeded players have progressed to the final four, and the first all-English semi-final line-up since 2006.
Former World Champion Rob Cross has reached the semi-finals of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship for the first time since lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on debut in 2017/2018.
Cross is set to battle teenage sensation Luke Littler in a blockbuster clash that has captured the attention of the world’s media.
The other half of the draw presents an unexpected match-up, after the unseeded Scott Williams stunned three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen last night to complete one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history.
Williams’ opponent is pre-tournament favourite Luke Humphries, who entered the sport’s showpiece event having lifted a trio of Premier TV titles since October.
Rob Cross v Luke Littler
In 2018, Cross completed the ultimate darting fairy-tale; winning the World Darts Championship on debut.
Six years later, he looks in the mirror as 16-year-old sensation Littler hopes to repeat that feat.
Cross completed an epic comeback to stun Chris Dobey on New Year’s Day, becoming the first man in World Championship history to recover from 4-0 down to win a quarter-final tie on the sport's biggest stage.
“I’m never beaten, whoever I play in the world,” insisted Cross, who is aiming to become the seventh multiple PDC World Champion.
“As I got closer I actually thought to myself: ‘You know what this is on’ because I’ve still got my best to go.
“I love being different; that’s why I won the World Championship at the first attempt!”
The four-time Premier TV title winner heads into his clash against Littler with the best finishing stats of the semi-finalists.
The 33-year-old has converted 49.12% of his double attempts throughout the sport’s flagship event.
Littler, however, has outscored the former World Champion, smashing in 34 maximums en route to the final four, averaging 0.358 180s per leg – more than any of his rivals.
The Warrington youngster is hunting his third title in five weeks after scooping the Winmau World Youth Championship in Minehead, followed by the JDC World Championship a fortnight ago.
He demolished Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-finals with a blistering 101.93 average, after the Northern Irishman had slayed former World Champions Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson earlier in the tournament.
This victory catapulted Littler into the top 64 on the PDC Order of Merit, and the unseeded debutant is now dreaming of achieving one of the greatest triumphs ever seen on the Alexandra Palace stage.
“I think I am daring to dream [of winning the World Championship] now,” admitted Littler, who averaged 105 to topple Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld in the last 16.
“It will take a lot [to stop me] based on all my performances in this tournament, but it’s about whatever Luke Littler and Rob Cross turns up tomorrow.
“Like people say, I could do a Rob Cross on debut. If my A-game is there then I possibly could win the World Championship."
The teenager has been unfazed by the pressure of the biggest stage in world darts, posting three of the ten highest averages in this year’s competition.
A fourth tonight could be enough to book him a spot in his first ever senior World Championship final.
Scott Williams v Luke Humphries
Surprise package Williams entered the tournament as the world number 52, having previously only won a single game at Ally Pally.
However, his shock quarter-final victory over three-time World Champion Van Gerwen has catapulted him into the world’s top 32 for the first time in his career.
The 33-year-old has won five games to reach this stage, including a resilient comeback win against Germany’s Martin Schindler in the third round.
Only his practice-partner Cross can better Williams’ 45% proficiency in the finishing stakes, and nobody has rattled in more 180s than the Boston thrower.
“He [Van Gerwen] knew he wasn’t going to get an easy game from me,” claimed Williams, who also dumped out Danny Noppert and Damon Heta earlier in the event.
“They all know how good I am; they’ve all seen what I can do. Luke will know that I’m not going to back down.
“I’m going to go into that game exactly as I did against Michael; push him as far as I can, hit the doubles at the right time, bang in a few 180s and give the crowd that they want.”
Williams faces a formidable test against Humphries, who is bidding to progress to his first World Championship final.
The 28-year-old is in the midst of an incredible 17-game winning run, but has had to survive match darts to reach this stage.
Humphries dodged two darts at double 18 in a gripping last 16 tie against Joe Cullen, having also recovered from 3-1 down to edge past Ricardo Pietreczko in round two.
Nevertheless, the former World Youth Champion bounced back with his best display in this year’s World Championship last night, dismantling Dave Chisnall 5-1 with a 103.5 average.
The victory - combined with van Gerwen’s shock exit - means the Berkshire-born superstar will become the world number one if he beats Williams to make the final.
“Being world number one’s fantastic, but I can be world number one for three weeks. If I’m World Champion, I’m a World Champion forever," Humphries declared.
“I can’t look into being world number one, I’m here to be World Champion and if I am World Champion, then I will be world number one.
“I’d give every accolade I have in my back pocket to be World Champion, that means more than anything.”
Many people predicted before a dart was thrown three weeks ago that Humphries and Van Gerwen would collide in the last four, although Humphries won’t be taking Williams for granted.
“I’m not really shocked [that Michael lost],” continued Humphries, the highest-ranked player left in the tournament.
“You would have thought he would win the game, but we’re in an era now where there’s so many fantastic dart players, and Scott is a fantastic dart player.
“I think it’s going to be a really tough game because he showed he’s not fazed by the situation; I don’t think anyone will be now.
“If I’m favourite then so be it, but that doesn’t mean anything in my eyes. It’s a 50-50 game.
“I’ve got to be very, very wary of a massive performance from Scott tomorrow.”
Tuesday January 2 (1930 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Rob Cross v Luke Littler
Scott Williams v Luke Humphries
Best of 11 sets