Teenage sensation Luke Littler warned his rivals he is beginning to feel unstoppable, with just one match between him and an unlikely World Darts Championship Final appearance on debut.
The 16-year-old eased past Brendan Dolan 5-1 yesterday to set up a semi-final tonight against Rob Cross, who won the title as a debutant in 2018.
Cross, 33, admitted his opponent — just four years older than his son — would be the fans’ favourite. And Littler, who has taken everything in his stride, from adding a quarter of a million Instagram followers to being invited to James Maddison’s private box at Tottenham on Sunday, warned his rivals of what was to come.
“It’s going to take a lot to stop me,” said the teenager, who even brushed off a suspected wasp sting in the final moments of his match against Dolan.
“I’ve got a good chance now. Now I am dreaming. I’m two games away, so I’m definitely thinking about lifting the title. I know I have the ability to go all the way. I have a good feeling in myself.
“I’m in the semi-finals on debut. I’m glad to get there. I’ve earned it, my performances have been good. I’m two games away. I’m thinking about winning it.”
LITTLER IS INTO THE LAST FOUR!! 👏
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2024
It's another RIDICULOUS display from Luke Litter as he averages 101.93 in a demolition of Brendan Dolan!
The 16-year-old STORMS into the Semi-Finals at Alexandra Palace...
📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD#WCDarts pic.twitter.com/19q8vtjDq8
Littler again averaged in excess of 100 — 101.93 to be precise — as he raced into a 4-0 lead against Dolan before a minor wobble allowed the Northern Irishman momentarily back into the contest. But it was the briefest of respites in an otherwise one-sided match.
To chants of “Walking in a Littler wonderland” and “You’ve got school in the morning”, the new crowd favourite posed for selfies moments after the biggest win of his career which pocketed him £100,000.
Of his dream run, he said: “It feels unbelievable. I never thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year.”
Commentator Wayne Mardle called him “an absolute freak”, while one of his beaten opponents, five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld likened him to a “darting robot”. Not bad for a youngster who was introduced to the sport after cajoling his parents into buying him a magnetic dartboard in a local shop after he took a fancy to it. As he put it: “The rest is history.”
Six months on from leaving school, there has been no shortage of history making by Littler. He became the youngest-ever winner of a match at the worlds when he defeated Christian Kist in the opening round. He is now one match away from becoming the youngest-ever finalist.
The current record holder, Michael van Gerwen, did so when eight years older in 2014. However, the Dutchman’s hopes of winning title No4 were denied in a shock 5-3 loss to Scott Williams, who faces Luke Humphries in the other semi-final tonight.
Littler, aka Nuke or the Prince of the Palace, said he had struggled with the earlier wake-up for his quarter-final against Dolan, and was relishing the prospect of a lie-in before meeting Cross, who accepts he would be the underdog, despite his experience.
Cross, who recovered from 4-0 yesterday to beat Chris Dobey in one of the greatest-ever comebacks at Alexandra Palace, said: “I’m never beaten, whoever I’m playing.
“Luke is amazing, he’s 16. I have a boy who is four years younger. Everyone loves an underdog story. He is fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world. Now we play darts, though, and I have to get down to business.”
