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Warrington’s Luke Littler takes World Darts Championship by storm making it to the final on debut

Entering his maiden Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship, with extremely limited experience in TV events, Cheshire dartist Luke Littler has defied belief by surpassing each round with relative ease in making it to tonight’s final – at the mere age of 16 years old.

Having qualified for the World Championship as a result of his participation on the PDC’s Development Tour, Littler’s initial goal was to make it past the opening round. However, now on the precipice of greatness, he dreams of darting glory in holding aloft the Sid Waddell trophy later tonight.

While impressing many on the MODUS Super Series throughout this year, smashing in high averages and mind-boggling checkouts, his talent has never been in doubt.

But the stage at Alexandra Palace is the most daunting of all, with only the truly elite players ever finding success.

His Development Tour efforts gave the world an initial glimpse of his extraordinary talent, finishing the 2023 campaign in second place on the order of merit, winning five tournaments along the way and becoming the PDC’s World Youth Champion in November.

Littler is also a Junior World Champion, winning the title in 2021 and 2022 alongside back-to-back successes in the MODUS Super Series in August 2023.

However, as much as his remarkable talent was heralded this year, touted as a potential long shot at the PDC’s World Championship by the bookmakers, no one could have foretold the success he has found this last month.

His moniker ‘The Nuke’ illustrated his debut appearance to perfection, as Littler’s explosive 106 average against Christian Kist blew the minds of darts fans around the world.

With the significance of the occasion seemingly a minor detail for the teenage sensation, he quickly felt at home on stage, successfully backing up his opening stanza against Kist with victory against the UK Open champion Andrew Gilding.

Despite his scoring prowess faltering this time around, Littler battled through to secure his continued participation in the tournament after the Christmas break, a remarkable achievement for the youngster.

Next to be detonated by ‘The Nuke’ was Matt Campbell, who upset the in-form world number 14 James Wade in a clinical display. But Littler yet again was untroubled, averaging a steady 97 on the way to a 4-1 set win – hitting a flashy 164 checkout along the way.

Now in the last 16, only four matches stood between himself and the title. He’s celebrated each win with a doner kebab – the media frenzy hasn’t been able to get enough of his humble attitude.

In between matches, he has either been busy at the practice board or spending time with his newfound celebrity admirers – pictured with Tottenham midfielder James Maddison and Arsenal star Declan Rice.

But the growing media spotlight never took away his focus from the darts, with his much-anticipated class against five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld ending much the same as his earlier rounds, playing with a 105 average on the way to an outstanding four sets to one victory.

Giant-killer Brendan Dolan awaited in the quarter-finals, following successes against world number five Gerwyn Price and the in-form two-time champion Gary Anderson.

But, a dismal display from the Irishman was capitalised on in outstanding fashion, with Littler smashing in his third 100+ average, becoming the second youngest player ever to participate in a PDC World Championship semi final – with a 17-year-old Michael Van Gerwen the other.

However, even despite the numerous records smashed by Littler at his youthful age, if we were to base our perspectives merely on his performances, this has been without a doubt one of the most captivating stories in darts history.

Former world champion Rob Cross (who won on debut in 2018) achieved the greatest comeback in the tournament’s history in the previous round where he won 5-4 against Chris Dobey from 4-0 down.

However, he too fell victim to ‘The Nuke’ in a six sets to two battering of 37 legs of carnage.

Much like the clash with Van Barneveld, whose 100 average was insignificant in comparison to Littler’s 105, Cross averaged 103 last night, bettered by Littler’s 106 – the fifth highest average ever in a World semi-final.

But, not only was the average ludicrous, finishes of 142, 149 and the champagne shot of 132 made certain that if Littler had any doubters of his calibre to go all the way, they were forced to reconsider.

Becoming the youngest player ever to make a World Championship final, Littler now has the world at his feet with a massive opportunity to secure darting glory in his first attempt, with further attempts undoubtedly to follow in the many years of darts he will play.

All that remains is the daunting prospect of initial tournament favourite and newly crowned world number one Luke Humphries.

Having won the Grand Prix, the Grand Slam and the The Players Championship all in the space of the last three months, Humphries has lost just two of his last 30 matches since the start of October.

While having not played his best for much of the tournament, with scrappy victories over Ricardo Pietreczko and Joe Cullen particular close shaves, Humphries’ semi-final last-night, just like Littler’s, was a statement win.

After whitewashing Scott Williams with five 100+ checkouts and a 109 average – the third highest semi-final average in World Championship history – Humphries will be the biggest test of Littler’s career so far.

But, with the focus and blissful ignorance of the significance of his achievements, Littler stands every chance if he keeps to the standard he has shown throughout and regardless of the outcome of tonight’s final, he will slot straight in to the top 32 of the PDC’s order of merit.

With the world at his feet, 2024 will be a mammoth year for the teenager, but what better way to start the year off than to become the youngest World Darts Champion ever.

Featured image: TWsk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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