Luke Littler has been warned by Luke Humphries that he won’t be able to dominate the darts world due to the sheer number of talented players currently vying for titles. The teenager has risen to fame over the past few weeks, being rewarded for his top-quality performances with a victory at the Bahrain Darts Masters.
Littler rose to fame on his debut at the World Darts Championship over the festive period, beating several of his childhood heroes en route to the final before being beaten 7-4 by Humphries.
The teenager then proved his performances at Alexandra Palace were no fluke when he cruised to victory in Bahrain, brushing aside Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall before showing maturity beyond his years to secure the title over Michael van Gerwen in the final.
Littler’s displays have captured the wider attention of the public, though Humphries has fired a warning to the 17-year-old. Asked by Sky Sports whether he felt The Nuke is capable of dominating the sport over the coming years, Humphries replied: “That’s a possibility. But we’re in an era where not one player is dominating the sport anymore.
“If Luke gets better than he already is then it could be a possibility but he’s going to face a lot of great players this year. He’s not faced everyone, he’s only faced six players so far.
“You’ve got Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Nathan Aspinall and Peter Wright. All these players are tough competitors but if he keeps getting better then he could dominate the sport for sure but it’s up to me to get even better and not allow that to happen.”
Humphries, who saw his 20-game winning streak come to an end in Bahrain, then concluded: “I think we’re in the greatest era of darts because it’s not dominated by one person anymore. It’s a very, very open sport and I think a lot of players believe they can win and I’m talking right down to the top 64 and that’s what makes it so open.”
Littler has remained grounded throughout his recent success, and the comments from Humphries will only fuel his ambition to continue winning competitions and becoming the face of darts. The teen will be hoping to lay down another marker later this month when he travels to Maaspoort Den Bosch to compete in the TOTO Dutch Darts Masters.
