Luke Littler beat Michael van Gerwen 7-3 to win the PDC World Championship and the teenage darts sensation is planning to celebrate his 18th birthday by using some of the £500,000 prize money to buy a car
After an A-star feat for the ages, what else would Luke Littler want for his 18th birthday but an A-Class Mercedes?
Luke the Nuke awoke to messages from David Beckham and the Prime Minister after his astonishing PDC World Championship triumph at Alexandra Palace and trousering £500,000 in prize money.
Half a million quid and a shout-out from Goldenballs? Dosh and Becks – nice work if you can get it. And after becoming King of the Palace with his 7-3 rout of Michael van Gerwen in the final, Littler now fancies becoming the Prince of Wheels.
He hasn’t had time to stick an old banger with L-plates on the drive yet because he has been too busy becoming a superstar in the constellation of Britain’s sporting greats. But he turns 18 on January 21 and he’s ready to mirror, signal manoeuvre now.
Jack Draper, Britain’s No.1 tennis player, drives a second-hand Polo – but Littler fancies a vroom with a view, and who would be churlish enough to deny him? With another slab of pocket money in the bank, the new world champion can afford any model in the showroom he likes.
“I’ve always loved a Mercedes A-Class – just a small car,” said the Boy Wonder. “Last year I was looking at driving and I loved the Ford Focus, but now I’ve gone up in the world just a little!
“I haven’t had driving lessons yet because it’s been so hectic, but I’m going to have to do it before I get into my twenties when it’ll be too late and I can’t be bothered. If I get a car, it won’t be a birthday present from anyone. I think it would have to be a birthday present from me to me.”
The morning after the night before, Littler was remarkably alert after barely four hours’ sleep and doing the rounds of breakfast shows and sifting through the torrent of messages on his phone. Unsurprisingly, the Manchester United fan’s favourite DM was from Beckham. “He just said wow, well done.”
Sir Keir Starmer, never knowingly short of a bandwagon to jump aboard, chimed in with his own good wishes as Littler tried to digest his A-list celebrity. Now he is being bracketed with Pele, who won the World Cup as a 17-year-old, Boris Becker (who won Wimbledon at the same age) and Ronnie O’Sullivan, who won snooker’s UK Open before he was 18.
“It’s crazy to even think about being mentioned in the same sentence as some of the best sportsmen there’s ever been,” said Luke the Nuke. “Obviously I’m very different to normal 17-year-olds, but I am glad I’ve got into this darts world.
“I have knuckled down, I don’t go out wandering around the streets. I have really knuckled down and now it has paid off. This is why we play the game – for the titles. Obviously the money is there, but one thing I do enjoy when I do lift the trophy is when all the confetti comes down and the sparkles go up.”
Littler nailed 56 per cent of his shots at a double on Friday night, easily his best of the tournament, and he hit his favourite double 10 like Becks whipping a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner on repeat.
Before the final, he was a portrait of composure in the practice room, listening to assorted house music racket on his AirPods. “Since playing Martin Lukeman in the Grand Slam final, I also listen to his walk-on song (Lip Up Fatty by Bad Manners) all the time,” he said.
Luke the Nuke only started to believe Van Gerwen was there for the taking after he surged into a 4-0 lead. MVG was gracious in defeat, saying: “I’m 35, he’s 17 – every 17 years a star is born, and he is one of them.”
Littler said: “When we were ready to do the trophy lift, I was crying and he was like, ‘Keep crying boy.’ Then, when I went backstage into the practice room, everyone went mad.”
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