2024-01-04 13:13:59
The 16-year-old surprised at the World Cup. He ate ham and cheese omelettes before games and outclassed his former idol.
With a youthful ease and unimpressed by the atmosphere in “Ally Pally”, Luke Littler played his way into the World Cup final.
Shaun Brooks / Imago
In the end, Luke Littler was missing a double two for the big throw. He led by two sets in the final of the Darts World Championship in London’s Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally) and had the opportunity to take the decisive 5-2 set lead. But Littler missed the double two by millimeters. He threw his hands away and became annoyed. The teenager, who had always had strong nerves, showed nerves for the first time in the tournament.
After the missed opportunity, the tide turned. The set went to Luke Humphries and the game was over. Humphries won four sets in a row and finally prevailed 7:4 sets. The Englishman thus ended a darts fairytale: his opponent could have been crowned the youngest world champion in history at the age of 16.
While Humphries lifted the world championship trophy on the Ally Pally stage, Littler held a miniature version of it in his hands and looked heartbroken: “Every game before the final was good. I’m annoyed about the last one.”
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Nevertheless, the frustration was limited. “The final was a massive bonus for me,” Littler told the media a little later. The Liverpool teenager was playing his first World Cup. His original goal was to win in the first round. Littler prevailed – and how! He won against the Dutchman Christian Kist with a total score of 3-0 sets, seven 180s and an average of 106.12 points. Never before had a player scored a higher average score in the first round of the World Cup. Littler celebrated the victory with a kebab in a kebab shop.
In the subsequent rounds, Littler – nicknamed “The Nuke” – knocked one opponent after the other out of the tournament and never found himself in danger. Even big names couldn’t stop him.
In the round of 16 he outclassed his former idol Raymond van Barneveld 4-1. “It looks like you’re playing against a robot,” said the former world champion from the Netherlands in amazement. In the semi-final, another former world champion, Rob Cross, had no chance. When asked about the most difficult moment for him during the tournament, Littler replied: “I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but nothing has been difficult for me so far.”
Only Luke Humphries ended his run. The 28-year-old is the new number 1 in the world rankings and after the final he showered his opponent with praise. «Luke is an incredible talent. It’s not just about the sport, but also about his appearance. You won’t find another 16-year-old who is so grounded.”
Littler is advised by the record world champion
Luke Littler appears more mature and older than 16. He is often jokingly called “the oldest 16-year-old in the world” on social networks. The British newspaper “Telegraph” wrote that Littler looked twice his age because of his demeanor and his physique. The fans in Ally Pally celebrated him by singing “You’ve got school in the morning”. Littler only graduated from school last year.
He played at the World Cup with a youthful ease and was unimpressed by the electric atmosphere from the start. In the crucial moments, he hit the doubles fields with strong nerves right up until the final – and said: “I feel absolutely no nerves.”
A strength he shares with his mentor. Littler is advised by Phil Taylor. Taylor is considered one of the best darts players in history and has won 16 world titles in his career. Today he says: “Luke Littler is the best teenager I have seen in my life.”
He threw his first arrows at 18 months old
Darts entered Littler’s life early on. A video from 2008 is circulating on social networks. It shows 18-month-old Luke standing in diapers in front of a toy dartboard and throwing the magnetic darts precisely into the center. Even back then it was clear that he had extraordinary talent. His parents supported him. At the age of four, Luke got his first dartboard, at the age of eight they had him training in pubs five evenings a week and laid the foundation for a rapid rise.
— ITV Granada Reports (@GranadaReports) January 2, 2024
Aside from the darts stage, Littler leads a normal life. “I wake up, play on my Xbox, eat something, throw darts at the training target and go to bed. That’s it.” He has been with his girlfriend for four weeks. She is five years older than him. They met while playing online games on Xbox.
Even during the World Cup, he hadn’t changed his daily routine much. He didn’t get up until 12 o’clock and then ate according to “Daily Mail» a ham and cheese omelet. When he arrived at Ally Pally before games, he would grab a Margherita pizza and then throw a few darts at the target.
Met while gaming online on Xbox: Luke Littler and his girlfriend Eloise Milburn.
Shaun Brooks / Imago
He uses the prize money to buy a coat
Littler’s performance in London is astonishing. In November he won the junior world championship of the most important association, but in the world rankings he is only 164th. By qualifying for the World Cup final, he has improved by more than 100 places. He is expected to receive his professional tour card in 2024. These will be awarded to the best 64 players at the end of the World Cup.
The final in London brings Littler prize money of 200,000 pounds. His manager takes care of the money. He wants to use some of it to buy a new coat, Under Armor tracksuits and FIFA Points – a digital currency in the EA Sports FC video game. He said on British television the morning after the final that he couldn’t wait to play on his Xbox again. He didn’t take the console with him to London for one reason. “I didn’t expect to make it to the final.”
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