Luke Littler has fulfilled his darting destiny and is the new World Darts Champion.
One year on from his incredible breakthrough campaign at Alexandra Palace, The Nuke has lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy after beating Michael van Gerwen.
Littler won the simulated World Championships before the start of the tournament, and that prediction has come to pass.
This final performance was defined by Littler’s performance on double 10, but Luke Littler finished on double 16 to win this crown.
Speaking to Sky Sports after his match, the teenager spoke about how he was feeling in the closing moments of this game, and he shared his final thoughts before he threw that winning double.
Littler composed himself to win the title, claiming that he knew that he had to hit that double in that moment otherwise Michael van Gerwen would’ve come right back at him and pegged him back.
What Luke Littler was thinking before winning the World Darts Championship
Littler shared what he was thinking just before throwing that decisive double 16.
Littler says that he thought about the fact he usually doesn’t go at the double 16, but he knew he had to go for
“Yeah, Michael went for the 121, as soon as he missed that 60 for 36 I knew I had three in hand. I usually don’t go for the double 16, but I just thought ‘hit it now or he will come back at you.’ That first game against Ryan Meikle was the game that mattered. I just settled.
“I was practicing backstage on the tops and 10s, but that 32 at the end, I knew I had to hit it.”
Luke Littler stats vs Michael van Gerwen
Littler says that he doesn’t usually go at double 16, and that is a key part of his game.
Indeed, Littler won a remarkable 12 of his 25 legs on his trusty double 10, while his checkout percentage was incredible.
| Luke Littler stats in World Darts Championship final | |
| Three-dart average | 102.73 |
| 100+ visits | 52 |
| 140+ visits | 23 |
| 180s | 12 |
| Double percentage | 56% |
| Double 10s hit | 12 |
Littler’s stats in this game show why he’s the world champion, an average of over 102 in a best of 15 sets game is utterly ridiculous, and his doubling percentage was also incredible.
It’s been said over the past 12 months that the sky is the limit for Littler, but now, he has reached the peak of the darting world, and the question becomes how many world titles will this young man go on to win?
Littler doesn’t think he can beat Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles, but he’s now made a slight indent into that tally.
Who knows what the future holds for this teenage sensation.