The fairytale continues for 16-year-old darts superstar Luke Littler.
With a comfortable 6-2 win over Rob Cross in the semifinal on Wednesday (NZT), Littler became the youngest player to reach a world darts championship final at a packed Alexandra Palace.
A $1 million payday beckons for the winner of Thursday’s (NZT) final, where Littler will meet the third seeded Luke Humphries in the battle of the Lukes. The latter followed Littler’s dominant performance by sweeping aside Scott Williams 6-0 in the second semifinal.
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Luke Littler’s dream run continued as he booked his sport in the world darts championship final.
Littler was always in control against Cross, and finished the job with a double 10. Cross bowed before him and told the crowd to give Littler the adulation he deserves.
The teen who turns 17 on January 21 sought out his mother, Lisa, for a celebratory hug as the crowd roared.
“No words. It’s crazy to even think I’m in a world championship final on my debut, I was just happy to win one game,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“You’re playing Rob [Cross], he won it on debut same as me. He just said ‘God bless, I respect you, and go and win it’.”
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Luke Littler and Rob Cross battle it out in the semifinal.
Littler said it was “crazy” to think he could be a world champion 24 hours later.
“I’ve just got to stay focused throughout the game. From now on, if I do go two or three sets up I’ll compose myself because it’s not the finish.
“In the morning, go for my ham and cheese omelette. Come here and have my pizza and then get on the practice board.”
The Guardian’s live commentary summed up the gravity of the win by the Warrington teen, a world junior champion who was playing at his first senior world champs.
“We’ve never seen the like. We haven’t even seen the vaguely reminiscent. Luke Littler has produced the performance of his or anyone else’s life to pulverise a former world champion in brilliant form. That’s in the top 10 performances in darts history, by anyone of any age,” the Guardian wrote.
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Teenager Luke Littler has the darts world at his feet.
Sports promoter Barry Hearn said Littler was the darts equivalent of golfer Tiger Woods but warned him against suddenly cashing in on his sudden fame.
Hearn told the Telegraph Littler could “without blinking” immediately secure £1 million (NZ$2 million) of exhibition work at the going rate of around £10,000 (NZ$20,000) a night.
“He’s clearly got a lot going for him – his parents and the group around him are very supportive. Now they mustn’t just look at the money – because that will come automatically if you are good enough,” Hearn told the Telegraph.
“There’s a tremendous number of great players coming through because they smell the money. Top of the tree darts players are probably earning £2-£2.5million (NZ$4-5 million) a year.
“With him it’s a question of drip-feed his notoriety. If I was managing him I’d put his fee up to an astronomical number and then, by the laws of supply and demand, that will cut down the possibility of him being burnt out. The biggest job for him will be to actually control his diary.”
