Such is the energy coursing through darts right now that a record 14,000 people will fill a sold-out O2 Arena tonight for the final of the Premier League. Five months on from the World Championship, the Luke Littler effect remains a powerful force.
There were naturally some questions about whether the 17-year-old could handle the Premier League’s intensity, but over the 16 weekly nights Littler not only matched the sport’s established kings but rose above them, finishing on top of the standings with 40 points.
Four players qualified for finals: Littler takes on Michael Smith in the first best-of-19 semi-final of the evening, before world No 1 Luke Humphries faces the great Michael van Gerwen in the other. Littler will carry the vast majority of the crowd’s support, but a case could be made for any one of the four to take down the title.
The Premier League’s exact place among darts’ most prestigious events is unclear, but its element of high-grade exclusivity – the eight best players invited to a relentless series of knockout matches – is what makes every night worth watching. Littler already has a number of titles on his CV, but given the competition and the sheer endurance required, the Premier League would be the most significant milestone yet on his journey to the summit of the sport.
“I’d be happy to win it,” he said with a smile on Wednesday. “I’m just young, I’m living my dream, but if I do get my hands on the trophy, I’ll be happy.”
Each of the four finalists had their moments of domination through the 16 weeks. Van Gerwen won three of the first four nights to all but seal his place in these play-offs, though he only reached two finals out of the last 12 nights. But Van Gerwen is a seven-time Premier League champion, looking for three in a row, with the best checkout percentage of them all during this Premier League campaign, and checkouts ultimately win matches.
“I won’t be the favourite but no one will bet against me,” he said. “The two Lukes, they’ve never been in the finals night, it’s a different kind of pressure for them, they’ve never won this tournament. [Luke Humphries] has been playing phenomenal. Everything’s still nice for him, everything’s amazing, everything’s new. But finals night is different. Different format, totally different game, different atmosphere… I’ve been in this position numerous times.”
Certainly Humphries looked nervous and tense coming into his first Premier League as a world champion, as if battling some imposter syndrome. But since week five he has thrown darts and carried himself like a world No 1 should, winning three nights in a row to launch himself to the top of the table at the midway point. Humphries clocked the highest average across the league and proved hard to derail when he found his rhythm.
“It would be nice to seal off that first year as world champion by being Premier League champion as well,” he said. “[Van Gerwen] is the seven-time winner, this is what he lives for, Premier League is his territory, so it’s up to me to try and dethrone him.”
Littler started his campaign slowly too, and later admitted he struggled with the intense schedule that sent the players to a new location in Europe each week. After eight rounds he was fifth in the standings without a single night’s win. But in Belfast his game clicked into gear, winning night nine with an outrageous 125 checkout in the final, hitting bull, outer bull, bull – so good that his opponent, Nathan Aspinall, laughed at the sight.
Littler won in Manchester in front of the closest thing to a raucous home crowd, then won back-to-back nights in Liverpool (where he teased the crowd over a football score) and Aberdeen to clinch his place in the play-offs tonight. He was the most consistent player, winning 13 and losing only three of his 16 quarter-finals. And he has the ability to pull off magical combinations when he needs them.
But Littler’s semi-final opponent has become something of a nemesis. Smith won the first night and the last too, and he arrives in London with form and confidence. His record against Littler in this Premier League season reads won 5, lost 2 – Smith will hold no fear going into their match.
When that particular statistic was mentioned on Wednesday, Littler responded with typically bullish confidence. “But I might win when it matters,” he said with a grin. If Littler beats Smith, he could then face Humphries in a rematch of their World Championship final.
It is finely balanced, with Humphries the marginal favourite in most quarters. But then he said earlier this season that there are two players who can beat him when he’s at his best – Van Gerwen and Littler. And he might have to beat both to win the trophy.
