Littler wins epic against Anderson to reach Grand Slam of Darts final
The topsy-turvy encounter in Wolverhampton saw both players take commanding leads in what is the first televised match between the pair since Littler's stunning ascent to the top of the sport.
Littler will now face Martin Lukeman in Sunday evening's final after his 16-12 win over Northern Irishman Mickey Mansell earlier in the session.
The 17-year-old darts star started with a wobble, seeing himself broken against the Scottish former world champion in the opening leg.
But the back-and-forth theme soon reared its head as 180s began to stick for both, with ton-finishes tumbling amidst a frantic trading of legs before Littler eventually charged to a 7-4 lead.
Anderson - chasing his first Grand Slam of Darts title - was soon up to his old tricks, however, sneaking up his average and pouncing on the few mistakes Littler began to make.
In an improbable twist, Anderson knocked back seven straight legs to stun Littler and the WV Active Aldersley audience, with treble-less visits suddenly becoming a nuisance for the sport's new superstar.
Undeterred by the pressure, and with some Anderson mistakes along the way, it was Littler who would ultimately prevail in an entertaining spectacle that eventually had to be decided in the 31st and final leg.
With the darts in hand, The Nuke capitalised on some nervy Anderson scoring to pinch victory in a contest that delivered on all of its pre-match promise.
Littler landed 16 180s in total during the match compared to Anderson's five, while both averaged a little over 100 during the contest.
"I know I can come back and win games like this but it would be better if I could go into the lead like Gary did," Littler told Sky Sports after the win.
"I went off for the last break and thought: 'you've got to dig deep', and I can't believe I won.
"I know I've got it, but when he's checking out ton-finishes when I'm sat on a double and chipping out doubles with his last dart, I'm like: 'Gary, just miss'.
"He was very good on his doubles today, and I'm just so glad I won.
"I've just got to stay focused and be myself. Martin will be up for it later, and so will I.
"This is one of the best games I've won."
Littler will face 39-year-old Lukeman from 19:45 GMT in Sunday evening's final after the world number 45 prolonged his fairytale run to reach his first major final.
