Darts teenage sensation Luke Littler has revealed that he truly believes he is capable of winning the PDC World Championship in the future. The breakout star’s fairytale run in the competition was brought to a cruel end in the final when he was beaten 7-4 by Luke Humphries in a thrilling match.
Littler has captured the heart of the nation since making his debut at Ally Pally, and he has since made the venue his own. The 16-year-old cruised through the early stages of the tournament before beating his childhood hero Raymond van Barneveld and former world champion Rob Cross to reach the final.
However, he fell one short of going all the way after being beaten by the in-form world No.1 Humphries. After taking a set to find his rhythm, Littler stormed into a 4-2 lead before missing a double two to take himself just two sets away from being named world champion.
The miss sparked Humphries into life, and he capitalised by winning the next five sets and reigning victorious. Speaking after the match, Littler showed maturity beyond his years to heap the praise on his opponent before showing his true colours and revealing that he intends to make amends in the future.
Asked whether he can take belief from the runners-up finish, the teen replied: “I’ve won about five or six games here so why can’t I go and win another seven within the years to come at this tournament.”
Littler also insisted that he did not want to get ahead of himself with his short-term goals, telling Sky Sports: “I am happy, top 32 and runner-up on my debut, it’s unbelievable. I got to the final and might not get to another for the next five or 10 years. I can say I’m runner-up but I just want to go and win it.”
Littler has been consistently praised for his conduct on stage and behind the scenes having thrown himself into the limelight with his unbelievable performances, and Humphries admitted that he is wary of the threat the teenager poses for the foreseeable future. He explained: “All day, in the back of my mind, I’ve been thinking: ‘Get this won now, because he’s going to dominate world darts soon’.
“Luke has been an unbelievable talent. Not just on the dartboard: he has been fantastic with all the media, and he took defeat so well there. You will never see another 16-year-old kid like him. He’s something else. He’s one of the finest players in the world, there’s no doubt about that.”
