Luke Littler revealed he had to conquer first-night nerves at Alexandra Palace as he overcame a rocky start to beat Ryan Meikle 3-1 at the Paddy Power PDC World Championship
Luke Littler went from nought to 140 faster than F1 top dog Max Verstappen in a Grand Prix – and he believes he can go even higher.
But as the people’s champion assessed his astonishing return to Alexandra Palace, he admitted the bottom almost fell out of his PDC World Championship campaign at the first hurdle. Luke the Nuke went nuclear in the fourth set of his 3-1 win against Ryan Meikle on Saturday night, posting a tournament record set average of 140.91 to clinch victory.
He had spent most of the contest struggling to step on the gas, but the bookies’ favourite suddenly hit top gear and the numbers were mind-blowing.
Leg 1: 180-180-81-60 (11 darts)
Leg 2: 180-180-129-12 (10 darts, missed a nine-darter by wiring double 12)
Leg 3: 139-174-136-52 (11 darts, game set and match)
Players often claim their scoring in the practice room is off the charts, but Littler’s sudden change of gear sent out a clear warning to his rivals. Strap in on the Littler rollercoaster and scream if you want to go faster: The boy wonder has so far pinned a record 776 maximum 180s on his debut season in the Professional Darts Corporation mainstream – and the treble 20 lipstick is going to take more hammering before 2024 is out.
He said: “Can I go higher than 140 in a set? If I hit a nine-darter, maybe yes. In that last set against Ryan, I wasn’t even thinking of the average – I was just thinking about getting over the line. In practice, before (referee) George Noble said ‘Game on’, I was throwing 180s for fun. Then all of a sudden it was low 20s, low 5s, low 19s and I had to pull it out of the bag.
“In the hours before the game, I was perfectly fine – then it was ‘Game on’ and the bottom’s gone. It fell out. I didn’t know what to do with myself. It is good to be back at Ally Pally, and on the train journey down, I couldn’t wait. But then I got on that stage and my bottom has gone a bit nervous.
“I had to find my best game somewhere. I know I have got it. Thankfully that is what happened in the final set. The last time I felt nervous was the first night of the Premier League in Cardiff against Luke (Humphries). Throughout the year, it has been fine – against Michael (van Gerwen) at the World Matchplay it wasn’t nerves, he was just the better player. But this was something different.
“I know what I can produce and I know what I have produced all year – it has been the best darts of my life. The experience has been absolutely amazing. But that was something else. I know from now on, I am going to stop myself getting nerves. I don’t need to be nervous now, I’m through to the third round.
“I know I will have time to settle in the longer format. Everyone knows I am usually a quick starter.” Since his extraordinary run to the final as a 16-year-old last January, the Littler effect has transcended professional darts.
On Wednesday, tens of thousands of kids will open their presents on Christmas morning to find the Warrington whizkid’s name adorning dartboards, sets of arrows and replica shirts. He admitted: “It’s been crazy, I don’t know how much Target (his darts manufacturer) have let go to the likes of Argos and all those other places.
“I am the only one to bring out a magnetic board. As a youngster, it was always the thing I used.” So what does the hottest property in darts want for Christmas?
“When I was younger and I got some FIFA points, I’d be absolutely on it (X-Box) all day, but now a lot of the kids I know will be on the magnetic boards and or proper darts board. There will be a lot of darts thrown on Christmas Day – but I won’t be playing!”