Teenager Littler demolishes Van Gerwen to claim historic world title

Incredible Luke Littler etched his sanction into darting history pinch a crushing 7-3 triumph complete Michael van Gerwen to go nan youngest ever PDC World Championship winner.

The 17-year-old was successful unstoppable shape arsenic he raced into a 4-0 lead, and contempt Van Gerwen getting 3 sets connected nan board, he ne'er really threatened a comeback and was ever successful Littler's rear mirror.

Van Gerwen was nan erstwhile youngest champion erstwhile he won nan first of his 3 world titles successful 2014 aged 24, but darting arena Littler smashed that grounds conscionable arsenic easy arsenic he dealt pinch nan Dutchman connected nan Alexandra Palace stage.

Warrington teen Littler averaged conscionable complete 102 and threw 12 180s successful a darting masterclass arsenic he claimed nan £500,000 first prize and lifted nan Sid Waddell Trophy for nan first time.

With nan measurement he handled nan unit of being nan favourite and nan mode of his performances still 3 weeks short of his 18th birthday, it surely is conscionable nan first of many.

Littler was pipped by Luke Humphries successful past year's last and erstwhile nan world number 1 went retired successful nan 4th information this year, nan trophy looked to beryllium location for nan taking.

Van Gerwen has not been astatine his champion this play but facing a three-time victor appearing successful his seventh last still represented a reliable trial for nan youngster.

Littler is not built for illustration your mean darts subordinate though, and he showed nary signs of nerves erstwhile racing into that 4-0 lead - albeit helped by immoderate dodgy finishing by Van Gerwen.

The 35-year-old was scoring good but either missed darts astatine doubles aliases grounded to moreover get down to a changeable astatine nan outer ringing - which resulted successful him winning conscionable 3 legs successful those first 4 sets.

Van Gerwen vanished pinch a 100 mean himself and 1 much 180 than Littler pinch 13, but hitting conscionable 14 of 38 connected his doubles was ne'er going to trim it against nan game's caller superstar.

"I can't judge it," Littler told Sky Sports. "We some played truthful well.

"I've said successful interviews that I needed to get disconnected to a speedy commencement coming and that's what I did.

"Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. You've comberan to get done a reliable field. I can't judge it."

After bursting onto nan segment astatine past year's World Championship, 'The Nuke' went connected to triumph 10 titles and deed 4 nine-darters successful 2024 and took that shape to Alexandra Palace.

Littler averaged much than 100 successful 5 of his six matches and led nan tourney pinch 76 maximums to triumph nan Ballon D'Art trophy for apical 180 hitter - though he did neglect to lucifer Michael Smith's grounds of 83 group successful 2022.

Not that Littler will attraction aft a tourney wherever he was operating astatine a different level to nan rest.

The relentless scoring is 1 thing, that magical double 10 he hardly misses is another, but Littler besides has that cleanable timing - hitting 180s and nailing large checkouts astatine important moments that conscionable mentally grind his opponents into submission.

A definite Phil Taylor won his first BDO world title 35 years agone this year, and there's much than a hint of 'The Power' astir Littler's game.

At Littler's age, Taylor's grounds of 16 world titles could beryllium successful superior danger.

Van Gerwen was erstwhile successful Littler's shoes and beating up everyone connected nan large stage, but his 3rd world title came backmost successful 2019 and he has now mislaid 3 finals since then.

The Dutchman has won 157 PDC titles worldwide and is regarded arsenic nan champion subordinate since Taylor, but he has struggled successful nan past mates of years erstwhile he has grounded to triumph a awesome successful back-to-back seasons for nan first clip since his first successful 2012.

He battled distant against Littler but conscionable did not person that other gear, while Littler successful return did conscionable that, and "every chance he comberan and each infinitesimal he had to wounded me, he did".

"We each cognize I've travel from a acold region and I've been battling my ain game," admitted Van Gerwen connected Sky Sports, who astatine doubly Littler's property joked astir nan caller prima of nan oche.

"I'm 35, he's 17. Every 17 years, a prima gets born."

Van Gerwen is not done yet, and conscionable making nan last aft nan twelvemonth he had is simply a triumph successful itself, but Littler is going obscurity and everyone, Van Gerwen included, now needs to raise their crippled to support up.

In truth, Littler's prima was calved astatine Alexandra Palace 12 months ago, but his continued brilliance has elevated him and his athletics to caller heights.

Sir Keir Starmer praised Littler connected X for his "mesmerising performance" and labelled his triumph arsenic an "inspirational capacity nether specified pressure" to triumph nan title.

"You should beryllium really proud of what you've achieved tonight," added nan premier minister. "Not conscionable for yourself but for nan athletics of darts arsenic a whole."

Littler has gone from 164th to 2nd successful nan PDC Order of Merit and added nan world title to nan Premier League, World Series and Grand Slam titles already won successful 2024.

Off nan oche he has prompted a immense spike successful darts liking among youngsters and brought nan athletics into nan mainstream while winning nan BBC Young Sports Personality of nan Year, and was runner-up successful nan main grant to Olympic golden medal-winning jock Keely Hodgkinson.

Now a world champion, nan sky's nan pemisah for nan earthy calved dartist who has nan world astatine his digit tips.