Luke Littler rampaged to an historic victory over Michael Van Gerwen to become the sport’s youngest ever world champion.
Littler and Van Gerwen met in the showpiece PDC World Championship final, with the teenage prodigy looking to beat the former three-time champion to claim the Sid Waddell trophy.
PDCLittler is the youngest ever world champion aged 17, with his meteoric darts rise complete[/caption]
The sport has grown to unprecedented new levels in the modern era, and millions of eyes were keen to see if it would be ‘The Nuke’ or the ‘Green Machine’ who would etch their name in the history books.
Anticipation was at its highest at Ally Pally, with the second and third players on the PDC Order of Merit set to do battle, to remove Luke Humphries who held the title from last year’s win over Littler.
But it was 17-year-old meteoric talent who put on one of the most breathtaking displays in arrows history under the brightest of lights.
He became the sport’s youngest ever world champion as just a teenage sensation, seven years before his rival Van Gerwen completed the feat aged 24 in 2014 against Peter Wright.
Littler, who turns 18 on January 21, stormed to a sensational 7-3 victory, and landed a huge £500,000 winners prize, completing a remarkable rise in just one year.
He put the sorrows of last year’s debut final defeat to Luke Humphries behind him, and completed a barely believable first annum on the PDC tour.
No doubt his stardom will catapult into a new stratosphere, and he was visibly delighted his first victory at Ally Pally was confirmed.
Littler was in tears as the final double 16 landed and he realised his dream in becoming the king of the sport.
It was an overwhelming and emotional moment for the new superstar, and Van Gerwen was quick to embrace the teenager who completed the feat.
A raucous atmosphere inside the North London venue began the event as the teenage prodigy made his ‘Greenlight’ walk-on to a roar from the crowd.
Van Gerwen greeted his support and things got underway with lazer focus inside the eyes of the tungsten geniuses.
But it was Littler who got underway the strongest flying out of the traps in a confident opening set to grab an early lead.
His sensational start continued as he owned the oche, continuing the second set in even more dominant fashion.
The double ten was traditionally his friend in the tournament and that form continued as he pinned it to take the set without a response from a stunned and frustrated Van Gerwen.
His experienced rival didn’t have an answer for the rampant early scoring power, and looked deflated as the third set approached.
And despite dropping one leg, Littler once again pinned a double ten to take the third set and charge into a commanding 3-0 lead.
It felt like he could barely miss it and Van Gerwen started to need an urgent reply to halt his remarkable momentum.
The writing looked on the wall for the Dutchman as Littler didn’t stop there, and appeared to put one hand on the trophy in the fourth set.
He once again picked it up in sensational fashion, but in the set that followed Van Gerwen was able to stop the rot nailing a trademark 132 finish to get his name on the board.
Littler got his nose further in front again with a brilliant sixth set and at 5-1 things looked ominous, but Van Gerwen replied in survival mode to keep things honest at 5-2.
But the killer blow came in the eighth set as he was clinical on his doubles again and seemed to put the match on the brink.
Van Gerwen managed to pull another back, but it still felt like Littler hadn’t reached any complacency levels whatsoever.
Littler completed the match with a sensational double 16 and charged across stage, barely able to process his victory.
He wiped away jubilant tears as he was greeted by Van Gerwen, and his route to the pinnacle of British sport was complete.
Littler said after his win: “I can’t believe it. We both played so well.
“I’ve said in interviews that I needed to get off to a quick start tonight and that’s what I did.
“But he was behind me the whole game, those cover shots – he’d hit two trebles and I’d have to come back with two or three.
“Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. You’ve got to get through a tough field. I can’t believe it.
“I keep saying it but that first game against Ryan Meikle [in round two] was the one that really mattered, and throughout I’ve just settled.
“At 2-0 up [in the final set] I started getting nervous but I said to myself to just relax. I was throwing for the match and to get it over and done with then was special.”
More to follow…