Luke Littler faces Josh Rock in the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts on Saturday night and the 18-year-old has issued a warning to his close friend ahead of the match
Aaron Morris Senior Sports Reporter
13:17, 14 Nov 2025
Luke Littler has spoken about fellow darts star Josh Rock(Image: Cameron Smith, Getty Images)
Luke Littler has revealed he’ll cast friendship aside on Saturday night when he takes on Josh Rock in the Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finals.
The ‘Nuke’ produced a masterful display at the oche, posting a 105 average whilst hitting 77 per cent of his doubles to comfortably see off Wessel Niemann 10-4 on Thursday, securing his place in the last eight.
But he’ll encounter an entirely different challenge when he squares off against Rock this weekend in what promises to be a thrilling rematch of their World Matchplay semi-final – a bout that became an instant classic before Littler prevailed 17-14.
Nevertheless, the 18-year-old has outlined how the pair will transform into rivals for the evening’s duration, highlighting his ruthless competitive streak. Speaking about the upcoming clash, Littler said: “Backstage we’ll always chat and have a laugh, but once we’re on stage we’re enemies, and we’ve got to do our job.”
Meanwhile, Littler also revealed his preference for the spotlight as he seeks to edge closer to top spot in the PDC’s Order of Merit rankings. He added: “Everyone knows I hate the Pro Tours – all you hear is squeaky chairs and people chatting. I love the stage, I love producing it, especially when I’m playing like that.”
Josh Rock faces Luke Littler(Image: Getty)
Currently, Luke Humphries sits at the summit of the Order of Merit, but with less than £75,000 separating him from Littler, the pair could swap positions by the end of the Grand Slam, reports the Express. It all hinges on ‘Cool Hand’ Humphries failing to claim the Eric Bristow Trophy, though, due to the Order of Merit working on a two-year cycle regarding prize money.
Consequently, Humphries’ triumph from two years ago will be removed from calculations once the present tournament concludes, meaning he must secure the £150,000 winner’s cheque in Wolverhampton to maintain his leading position.
Rock, meanwhile, has recently aired his frustrations with his displays at the Grand Slam so far.
Following his narrow 10-8 victory over Connor Scutt in the round of 16, Rock said: “I feel dreadful. I didn’t play my game at all. I couldn’t find my rhythm until the last leg.
“I feel sorry for Connor because he played phenomenal in patches. Last leg I finally kicked off with the 180 and got the double in the end, but I’m disappointed because I didn’t perform the way I know I can. That was horrendous.”
He continued: “Sometimes you need luck to win these games and thankfully I’m still here in the quarter-final. Connor didn’t play to his full potential either, but I’m grateful I’m still standing here now.”
Nevertheless, Littler isn’t taking his opponent lightly going into Saturday’s encounter. Regarding Rock, he said: “89 average – that isn’t Josh. He’ll easily put another 10 or 15 points on that against me. I’ve got to expect it.”
Littler enters the tournament as the reigning champion, following his triumphant victory in last year’s Grand Slam of Darts where he crushed Martin Lukeman 16-3. In a post-match interview with Sky Sports at the time, he said: “I’m so glad to win it.
“I’ve been playing well all week, it’s been a long week but it’s paid off. I’m so happy to win this.”
