Luke Littler’s historic World Championship dream ended after he lost in the final to Luke Humphries.
The 16-year-old debutant has set Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and was one win away from producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time by becoming the youngest world champion.
But he fell at the final hurdle and was left in tears as Humphries showed why he is the new world number one with a scintillating 7-4 victory, which saw him lift the Sid Waddell trophy for the first time.
It is a landmark success for the 28-year-old, who has now won four of the last five major tournaments after an incredible few months.
Although this was his biggest win of all, it was not exactly the most popular as the Ally Pally crowd were desperate for their new star’s amazing journey to finish in glory.
Humphries may have been the champion, but Littler received a hero’s reception at the end of the match and he is the story of the tournament.
Life will never be the same for Littler, who now has a global profile, as his exploits have transcended the world of darts.
He may have fallen just short of achieving sporting immortality, but this is just the beginning for Littler and his time will surely come, with many tipping him to become a multiple world champion.
More immediately, he looks set to be handed a lucrative place in the Premier League, which kicks off next month.
He will not have many regrets from the last couple of weeks, but a dart at double two in the seventh set may be one of them as had it gone in he would have gone 5-2 in front in the race to seven.
Instead, Humphries stole the set and then reeled off the next five to claim glory in style.
He has now won his last 19 matches and will be seeing this as the start of a period of possible domination as he is playing at a level no one can currently compete with.
The pair have met before when Humphries beat a then 12-year-old Littler in a pub tournament in 2019 and both have enjoyed a meteoric rise since then.
Littler must have thought he was back in the pub with the way Humphries started as he won five successive legs to give himself darts for a 2-0 lead.
He missed, though, and Littler pounced with 142 and 120 checkouts to level at 1-1.
After ‘Cool Hand’ went 2-1 up, Littler hit back by reeling off three successive sets to lead 4-2.
The seventh set proved pivotal as Littler missed double two to go three up and Humphries, who had earlier taken out the big fish, capitalised to steal it and then drew level at 4-4 after a 121 checkout.
The tide had truly turned and Humphries continued his hot streak to go 6-4 up, which left outgoing referee Russ Bray consoling a tearful Littler, with his opponent finishing the job and sinking to his knees in joy.
Luke Littler has been “smashing them all to bits” on the dartboard since the age of nine.
Littler’s incredible run to the World Championship final at the age of 16 has transcended events on the oche and shocked the entire sporting world, but not St Helens Darts Academy co-founder Karl Holden.
Even esteemed French sports publication L’Equipe, a title not known for its darts coverage, devoted space to hail the teenage sensation after his semi-final demolition of former world champion Rob Cross at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday evening.
Littler’s appetite for hitting 180s and big checkouts on the big London stage are even greater than his well-documented love of kebabs.
But, while his name was barely known beyond his home town of Warrington before the start of the world championship last month, this is no overnight success story.
“He has been coming here since he was nine. We are all very proud,” Holden told the PA news agency.
“When he first came as a kid you could see he was very special and he just got better and better. Every year he was a bit better than the last.
“We put him up to the Under-14s when he was nine, but three months after that he was smashing all them to bits.
“He hardly lost so we said, ‘What do we now?’ We put him into the elite group, which is our best players, and he had just turned 10.”
St Helens Darts Academy members are planning a party on Wednesday to support Littler in his final showdown with Luke Humphries, his fellow Englishman 12 years his senior and the new world number one.
The pair last met in quieter surroundings at a Hayling Island competition in 2019 when Littler was only 12.
Holden said: “Obviously he puts a lot of hours in and we had to tell him to stop coming as he was so good.
“He needed to be playing at a better standard. He was good enough to win men’s tournaments at 13 or 14. And he did. His ability is second to none.
“The best players reach a level in their twenties that he’s reached at 16.
“We’ve produced some good players. Probably about 40 county players, but Luke is something else.
“We’re all behind Luke. It’s not just St Helens.
“Luke is a Warrington man through and through, a big Wire (Warrington rugby league) supporter, and the whole of Warrington is right behind him.”
Littler is known as ‘Luke The Nuke’ and the sale of darts with his name on has exploded in St Helens and Warrington.
So, too, has interest in darts at Padgate Academy, where Littler – who has been regularly serenaded by fans at Alexandra Palace that he has “got school in the morning” – sat his GCSEs last year.
“He’s putting darts on the map at the moment but he’s already done that here at the school,” headteacher Adam McMillan told The Guardian.
“He’s left such an incredible legacy at the school, lots of students have been inspired by him and gone on to be interested in darts.
“Through his sponsors, we were able to get dartboards, and we set up a darts club, which was really well attended. Many students then bought their own dartboards.
“He’s left his mark here but I think the wider impact will be seen in schools across the UK. We’ll see some sort of legacy from all this.”
Luke Littler’s teenage dream concludes when he faces Luke Humphries in the World Championship final on Wednesday evening.
The 16-year-old is the youngest ever player to reach the decider in a remarkable Alexandra Palace journey, but he will face the toughest test yet against the new world number one.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how the players match up.
Routes to final
The pair have had differing journeys to the final. Despite his tender years, Littler has had the most serene path, dropping just six sets. He proved he is already at a level to compete with the very best as he took out UK Open champion Andrew Gilding, walloped five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld and then beat 2018 title winner Rob Cross in stunning fashion.
Humphries’ route has been a little rockier as he was taken to a final-set decider against Ricardo Pietreczko in the third round and then needed a sudden-death leg to beat Joe Cullen in the fourth. He looks to be coming into form just at the right time, though, as he whitewashed Scott Williams 6-0 in the semi-final, producing the 10th best three-dart average ever at the Alexandra Palace, with six 100+ checkouts.
Big scoring
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The teenager created history in his first-round win over Christian Kist by recording the highest average of a debutant at the World Championship and that set the tone for a high-scoring performance. Littler’s three-dart tournament average is 101.82, he has thrown 50 180s and crucially is operating at a 45 per cent success rate on checkouts.
Humphries’ average is slightly down at 99.33, but he has also thrown a half-century of maximums and has taken out 41 per cent of his double attempts.
Unbeaten streaks
Both players are in supreme form and are on long unbeaten streaks. Humphries is the form player in the world and extended his winning run to 18 when he beat Williams to reach the final. It was October 29 when ‘Cool Hand’ last lost, going down to James Wade in the European Championship. He won the Players Championship a week later, which was his third major title in six weeks.
Littler is also used to winning and is unbeaten in 21 matches going back to August in PDC events, which included him winning the World Youth Championship.
Rapid rises
Humphries’ formidable display against Williams in the semi-final saw him climb to the top of the world rankings, leapfrogging Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith. It is reward for his stunning form over the last couple of months, where he won his first major titles. His rise has been rapid, but Littler’s has been meteoric.
The teen headed into the tournament ranked 164 in the world but is already up to 31st. If he can get over the line in the final, he will climb into the top 10.
Luke Littler swept into the world darts final with the support of his beloved Warrington Wolves ringing in his ears.
Super League stars Josh Thewlis and Matty Ashton – as well as the club’s mascot ‘Wolfie’ – were present at Ally Pally to cheer the 16-year-old through his emphatic semi-final win over Rob Cross.
The duo, who presented Littler with a Wolves shirt emblazoned with ‘Littler 180’ on the back, were forced to zip straight back up the M6 for the start of post-season training on Wednesday.
But they marvelled at Littler’s composure on the oche, with Thewlis telling the PA news agency: “It must be pretty daunting for a 16-year-old to be up there on the big stage on his own.
“When I was 16 I was still turning up to training feeling star-struck by everyone, but I had 12 other blokes with me on the field who I knew would be able to help me out.
“Somehow Luke seems to be taking it all in his stride. Any other person in his position would be quite nervous, but he’s so chilled out and genuinely excited by it all.”
Littler has posed with a series of Premier League footballers during his run to the Ally Pally final, but his heart lies with the Wolves where he has been a season-ticket holder for the last four years.
And, having recently renewed his regular seat for the 2024 campaign, he appears to have no intention of using some of his six-figure winnings to splash out on a £15,000 executive box to watch the games in comfort.
Wolves and England star Ashton is no stranger to live darts action and often heads to the big events with his brothers when his rugby league schedule allows.
Ashton, a regular at the World Matchplay tournament in Blackpool, also hailed Littler’s composure and the impact he is likely to make on his home town, where sporting heroes – Wolves excepted – are in short supply.
“It’s great to have someone from the town and so close to the club doing so well,” said Ashton. “Darts is a massive sport and the whole place is really rooting for him.
“When I was 16 I don’t think I would have coped. I’m 25 years old now and I’m still getting used to some sort of media attention. What Luke is experiencing is something else and we’re all so pleased for him.”
Luke Littler left Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle forgetting to talk after continuing his historic World Championship dream by reaching the final.
The 16-year-old put in a stunning performance to trounce former champion Rob Cross in the semi-final at Alexandra Palace and become the youngest ever finalist in the premier darts tournament.
Mardle, who was calling the match, says Littler is better than three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen was at the same age and believes him lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on Wednesday night would be the greatest story in the history of darts.
“I have not seen anything like that,” he told the PA news agency.
“When I was near my pomp, Michael van Gerwen was coming through and I saw him as a 17, 18-year-old and he was incredible, but he was not that good.
“That is just different, it is the World Championship, it is different doing it here. There are people who just can’t play like Luke. He has got the ability, the composure under pressure, the belief.
“He has got everything you need to be a champion. Even though he hasn’t won it yet, all that he has been winning has led to this. He is used to winning.
“I have never seen the like and I am not sure we will again. I am gobsmacked.
“Doing the commentary, I am sitting there as a fan, I had to remember to talk, I was watching in awe. Spectacular.
“It has to be the greatest story in darts, what else could it be? It supercedes everything.
“Phil Taylor winning 16 is always going to be the most incredible thing because of the sheer number but a 16-year-old? it’s not just him winning, it’s the way he is playing and that is the most incredible thing for me.
“I have played to a decent enough level to know what is good and bad, this is a different level. I am in awe.”
Littler’s toughest test will come in Wednesday’s showpiece as he meets new world number one Luke Humphries, so victory will not be routine.
Even if he does not get over the line against Humphries, Mardle says he will end his career with a sizeable trophy haul.
“He is already good enough at 16, as long as he doesn’t regress then he should win it multiple times – but it is a difficult one to win,” he added.
“Michael van Gerwen has only won it three times and he dominated for more or less a decade, so let’s not give him it before he has actually won it.
“But how does not he hang up his darts as a multiple world champion?”
Teenage star Luke Littler will stick with his diet of cheese and ham omelettes and pizza as he tries to complete his history-making World Championship dream.
The 16-year-old debutant continued his amazing Alexandra Palace journey by becoming the youngest-ever finalist when he destroyed 2018 champion Rob Cross in the semi-final.
He is now on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, with new world number one Luke Humphries standing in his way.
Littler has made history with some unconventional preparations, with his love of kebabs also a theme of his run to the final, but it is working for him.
“I’ll keep doing what I have been doing,” he said. “I don’t wake up until 12, in the morning go for my ham and cheese omelette, come here and have my pizza, and then go on the practice board.
“It is what I have been doing every day – if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Littler has already proved he is the real deal but produced his biggest statement yet as he downed eighth seed Cross 6-2 in stunning fashion.
He bombarded the treble-20 for 16 180s, produced three 130-plus checkouts and averaged 106.05 in a nerveless performance.
“I haven’t got the words. It’s crazy,” he said. “I have just settled on that stage.
“It has not even sunk in yet. I have surprised myself.
“I have just got to stay focused and be Luke Littler. I have got to be mature and be myself.
“It would be unbelievable if I won it, I only wanted to win one match.”
He will come up against his toughest opponent yet in Humphries, who is the form player in the world.
The 28-year-old came into the tournament by winning three of the last four majors and produced one of the best ever performances at Ally Pally to whitewash Scott Williams 6-0 in his semi-final.
In doing so, he overtook Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith to become the new world number one – but he says becoming world champion would be more meaningful.
He said: “It feels amazing, I would never have imagined myself to be world number one and I did it in style, I was really pleased with the performance.
“I have always said world number one can last a number of months, world champion is forever.”
Teenager Luke Littler will hope his history-making World Championship journey ends in glory when he plays Luke Humphries in the final.
It has been a whirlwind two weeks for the 16-year-old debutant, who is the youngest ever player to reach the climax of the premier darts tournament.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how Littler has stormed through the tournament.
First round – Beat Christian Kist 3-0
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Having earned his place by winning the World Youth Championship in November, Littler’s record-breaking started in his first-round match. The teenage debutant destroyed Christian Kist in straight sets, averaging a mammoth 106.12, which is the highest ever by a player on debut at the World Championship.
Second round – beat Andrew Gilding 3-1
The UK Open champion ought to have provided a sterner test but he was also brushed aside to ensure ‘The Nuke’ returned to the Alexandra Palace after Christmas. His numbers were not as good as his opening-round win, but he became the youngest player to ever reach the third round of the World Championship with another assured display.
Third round – beat Matt Campbell 4-1
The hype was growing around Littler as he resumed his campaign two days after Christmas and the gifts kept on coming as he sent the Canadian packing. It was a mammoth 164 checkout and an impressive doubles percentage that saw him over the line to keep the dream – and the media hype – alive.
Last 16 – beat Raymond van Barneveld 4-1
Littler used to imitate Van Barneveld as a three-year-old so to get the chance to play him on the Alexandra Palace stage was a dream come true. And it was the 16-year-old that played like a five-time world champion as the apprentice demolished the master. He averaged a superb 105.01 and threw nine 180s to prove his credentials as a genuine contender.
Quarter-final – beat Brendan Dolan 5-1
The Littler juggernaut showed no signs of stopping as he demolished Dolan with a superb display. Dolan had ousted former world champions Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson on the way to the last eight but he could not cope with Littler’s heavy scoring and mature matchplay as he again averaged over 100.
Semi-final – beat Rob Cross 6-2
The teenager saved his best for the biggest occasion as he put in a masterful performance to beat 2018 champion Cross – the last man to win on debut. He lost the first set to trail for the first time in the tournament but soon showed he is the player for the big occasion, winning with a 106.05 average and 16 180s to keep the dream alive.
Teenage star Luke Littler will stick with his diet of cheese and ham omelettes and pizza as he tries to complete his history-making World Championship dream.
The 16-year-old debutant continued his amazing Alexandra Palace journey by becoming the youngest-ever finalist when he destroyed 2018 champion Rob Cross in the semi-final.
He is now on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, with new world number one Luke Humphries standing in his way.
Littler has made history with some unconventional preparations, with his love of kebabs also a theme of his run to the final, but it is working for him.
“I’ll keep doing what I have been doing,” he said. “I don’t wake up until 12, in the morning go for my ham and cheese omelette, come here and have my pizza, and then go on the practice board.
“It is what I have been doing every day – if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Littler has already proved he is the real deal but produced his biggest statement yet as he downed eighth seed Cross 6-2 in stunning fashion.
He bombarded the treble-20 for 16 180s, produced three 130-plus checkouts and averaged 106.05 in a nerveless performance.
“I haven’t got the words. It’s crazy,” he said. “I have just settled on that stage.
“It has not even sunk in yet. I have surprised myself.
“I have just got to stay focused and be Luke Littler. I have got to be mature and be myself.
“It would be unbelievable if I won it, I only wanted to win one match.”
He will come up against his toughest opponent yet in Humphries, who is the form player in the world.
The 28-year-old came into the tournament by winning three of the last four majors and produced one of the best ever performances at Ally Pally to whitewash Scott Williams 6-0 in his semi-final.
In doing so, he overtook Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith to become the new world number one – but he says becoming world champion would be more meaningful.
He said: “It feels amazing, I would never have imagined myself to be world number one and I did it in style, I was really pleased with the performance.
“I have always said world number one can last a number of months, world champion is forever.”
Teenage star Luke Littler will stick with his diet of cheese and ham omelettes and pizza as he tries to complete his history-making World Championship dream.
The 16-year-old debutant continued his amazing Alexandra Palace journey by becoming the youngest-ever finalist when he destroyed 2018 champion Rob Cross in the semi-final.
He is now on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, with new world number one Luke Humphries standing in his way.
Littler has made history with some unconventional preparations, with his love of kebabs also a theme of his run to the final, but it is working for him.
“I’ll keep doing what I have been doing,” he said. “I don’t wake up until 12, in the morning go for my ham and cheese omelette, come here and have my pizza, and then go on the practice board.
“It is what I have been doing every day – if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Littler has already proved he is the real deal but produced his biggest statement yet as he downed eighth seed Cross 6-2 in stunning fashion.
He bombarded the treble-20 for 16 180s, produced three 130-plus checkouts and averaged 106.05 in a nerveless performance.
“I haven’t got the words. It’s crazy,” he said. “I have just settled on that stage.
“It has not even sunk in yet. I have surprised myself.
“I have just got to stay focused and be Luke Littler. I have got to be mature and be myself.
“It would be unbelievable if I won it, I only wanted to win one match.”
He will come up against his toughest opponent yet in Humphries, who is the form player in the world.
The 28-year-old came into the tournament by winning three of the last four majors and produced one of the best ever performances at Ally Pally to whitewash Scott Williams 6-0 in his semi-final.
In doing so, he overtook Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith to become the new world number one – but he says becoming world champion would be more meaningful.
He said: “It feels amazing, I would never have imagined myself to be world number one and I did it in style, I was really pleased with the performance.
“I have always said world number one can last a number of months, world champion is forever.”
The World Darts Championship final should be made free to view so as many people can watch teenage star Luke Littler compete as possible, ministers have been told.
The Liberal Democrats suggested it would be “scandalous” for the game not to be aired on ITV and the BBC, as well as on Sky Sports, which is broadcasting the sporting event.
Sixteen-year-old Littler is the youngest-ever player to reach the decider of the tournament, and has garnered celebrity status for his performance.
On Tuesday night, he secured his place in the final with a 6-2 win over former champion Rob Cross.
Ahead of his appearance on Wednesday in the final against Luke Humphries, the Lib Dems urged the Government to follow the precedent of other major events in rugby, football and cricket, and ensure the coverage is free to watch.
The party’s culture and sports spokesman Jamie Stone said: “The country is gripped by darts fever and the spectacle of a 16-year-old Brit becoming world champion.
“It would be scandalous for this historic game to be hidden away from millions of people. The final must be on free to air TV. If football, cricket and rugby world cup finals are free to air, then so should darts.
“Sky Sports should do the right thing and share coverage with the likes of the BBC or ITV. Ministers have the power to put pressure on them.”
It is understood that broadcasters could come to such an arrangement themselves without the need for ministerial intervention.
Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, congratulated Littler following his semi final victory.
Writing on X, she said: “Great win from Luke Littler at the semi finals this evening.
“Getting to a world championship final on his debut at 16 and amazing how he is getting everyone taking about darts.”
Teenage star Luke Littler revealed a diet of cheese and ham omelettes and pizza has been behind his incredible journey to the World Championship final.
The 16-year-old has set the Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and is the youngest ever player to reach the decider of the premier darts tournament after demolishing Rob Cross in the semi-final.
He is now on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, which would rival Emma Raducanu’s US Open win in 2021.
It is unlikely Raducanu had pizza before every match of her New York fairytale but it is working for Littler, whose love of kebabs has also been a theme of his run to the final.
“I’ll keep doing what I have been doing, I don’t wake up until 12, in the morning go for my ham and cheese omelette, come here and have my pizza, and then go on the practice board,” he said.
“It is what I have been doing every day – if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Littler has already proved he is the real deal but produced his biggest statement yet as he downed eighth seed Cross 6-2 in stunning fashion.
He bombarded the treble-20 for 16 180s, produced three 130-plus checkouts and averaged 106.05 in a nerveless performance.
‘The Nuke’ is trying to emulate 2018 champion Cross by lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on debut and few would bet against him as his juggernaut looks impossible to stop – Luke Humphries the man facing that task on Wednesday.
“It’s crazy, it’s crazy to think I am in the World Championship final,” Littler said. “I was happy winning one game, but I could go all the way.
“I haven’t got the words. It’s crazy. I have just settled on that stage.
“It has not even sunk in yet. I have surprised myself.
“I have just got to stay focused and be Luke Littler. I have got to be mature and be myself.
“It would be unbelievable if I won it, I only wanted to win one match.”
He has earned celebrity status and his exploits have transcended the world of darts, already appealing to a younger generation of fans, with broadcaster Sky Sports reporting they had an 18.5 per cent share of all under-35 viewing in the UK for his New Year’s Day quarter-final win over Brendan Dolan.
Littler, who revealed he received pre-match messages from footballers Luke Shaw and Rio Ferdinand, only qualified for the tournament by winning the World Youth Championship in November and his fairytale run has put the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) under pressure to hand him a place in the forthcoming Premier League.
There is more immediate work to do, though, as his attention turns to Wednesday’s showpiece, where he will meet new world number one Humphries.
‘Cool Hand’ delivered one of the best ever performances at Alexandra Palace as he whitewashed Michael van Gerwen’s conqueror Scott Williams.
The 28-year-old came into the event as favourite after winning three of the last four major tournaments and lived up to the billing as he averaged 108.74, threw 13 180s and took out six 100-plus finishes, including the ‘big fish’ 170.
His victory saw him climb above Van Gerwen and Michael Smith to the top of the rankings.
He said: “It feels amazing, I would never have imagined myself to be world number one and I did it in style, I was really pleased with the performance.
“I have always said world number one can last a number of months, world champion is forever.”
Sixteen-year-old Luke Littler stormed into the World Championship final with a 6-2 win over former champion Rob Cross.
Here, the PA news agency puts the youngster’s achievements in context.
Young gun
The famously raucous Ally Pally crowd chanted “you’ve got school in the morning” during Littler’s opening win over Christian Kist and he became the youngest player to reach even the last 16 of the event with his third-round win over Matt Campbell.
His youth was highlighted most of all in beating Raymond van Barneveld, the man he describes as “one of my idols” and fully 40 years Littler’s senior, to reach the quarter-finals.
The Dutchman won the 2007 World Championship 20 days before Littler was born and has been playing competitively for more than twice Littler’s lifetime, since 1984 when he himself was just 17.
Michael van Gerwen is the youngest PDC world champion, winning in 2014 at the age of 24 – and indeed the youngest major winner, aged 23 at the 2012 World Grand Prix – so time is on Littler’s side to rewrite the record books regardless of Wednesday’s outcome.
Jelle Klaasen won a BDO world title aged 21, while Eric Bristow won his first at 22 and was 27 when he inspired Sid Waddell’s famous commentary line comparing him to Alexander the Great.
Littler would be the first player to win the title on his debut since Cross himself in 2018. Dennis Priestley, in the inaugural event, and Van Barneveld are the only other players to achieve the feat but were both BDO world champions before switching allegiance.
A six-figure payday is already assured for the teenager, with £500,000 awaiting the champion and £200,000 for runner-up.
Tournament performance
Regardless of his age, Littler has produced a series of hugely impressive displays at Alexandra Palace.
He has compiled a three-dart average of 101.82 on his run through the tournament, topping 100 against Kist – with a tournament-high 106.12 – Van Barneveld, Brendan Dolan and with 106.05 against Cross.
His 44.68 per cent record on checkouts has helped ensure he has never been in a close match, winning 3-0, 3-1, 4-1, 4-1, 5-1 and then 6-2.
A 180 in the decisive leg of the seventh set against Cross was his 16th of an outstanding match and his 50th of the tournament.
He has hit 293 centuries in all, including 70 scores of 140 and, with his accuracy when switching to treble-19, 134 on a remarkable 46 occasions.
Eighth seed Cross was the highest-ranked scalp on a run which has also seen Littler take out three players ranked in the 20s in Gilding, Dolan and Van Barneveld. Littler’s own ranking could climb as high as ninth in the world if he wins the final.
Teenage star Luke Littler is one win away from completing his sensational World Championship dream as he cruised into the final.
The 16-year-old has set the Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and is the youngest-ever player to reach the decider of the premier darts tournament.
He is now on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, which would rival Emma Raducanu’s US Open win in 2021.
Littler has already proved he is the real deal but produced his biggest statement yet as he downed eighth seed Rob Cross 6-2 in stunning fashion.
He bombarded the treble-20 16 times, produced three 130-plus checkouts and averaged 106.05 in a nerveless performance.
‘The Nuke’ is trying to emulate 2018 champion Cross by lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on debut and few would bet against him as his juggernaut looks impossible to stop.
Whatever happens in Wednesday’s final he is the story of the tournament.
He has earned celebrity status and his exploits have transcended the world of darts, already appealing to a younger generation of fans, with broadcaster Sky Sports reporting they had an 18.5 per cent share of all under-35 viewing in the UK for his New Year’s Day quarter-final win over Brendan Dolan.
He only qualified for the tournament by winning the World Youth Championship in November and his fairytale run has put the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) under pressure to hand him a place in the forthcoming Premier League.
There is more immediate work to do, though, as his attention turns to Wednesday’s showpiece.
If he performs like this he will be a heavy favourite as he outplayed Cross, who was by no means under-performing.
When Cross took the opening set on throw, it saw Littler trailing for the first time in the tournament.
The former electrician was a livewire at the oche, peppering the trebles, and put the youngster under pressure, having darts to take a two-set lead.
But Littler showed he can perform when he needs to as he took out a vital 74 to level up and then produced a majestic 142 checkout to go 2-1 in front.
He took out a mammoth 149 on his way to a 3-1 lead and then got himself into a superb position to extend that even further but missed a dart at double top.
Cross took the same score out to make it 3-2 instead of 4-1, but Littler was not perturbed, showing composure and maturity to win the next two sets and move one away from the finish line.
Littler, 19 days from his 17th birthday, showed nerves of steel to close it out in style as his dream run continues.
Referee Russ Bray is proud of his tag as the ‘voice of darts’ as he gets ready to call his last World Championship final on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old has become one of the most imitated people in sport due to the trademark way he bellows ‘180’ every time a player hits a maximum in his gruff and booming voice, while his ‘game on’ to mark the start of play is also instantly recognisable.
He will take charge of his 28th and last final on Wednesday night before heading into semi-retirement, also taking up a role as an ambassador for the Professional Darts Corporation.
And he could be calling a momentous occasion if teenage sensation Luke Littler can continue his bid to become the youngest-ever world champion on Tuesday night.
Bray, who became a referee in 1996, has been a central figure in the sport as it has catapulted into the mainstream over the last 15 years.
He cannot walk down the street without someone shouting one of his catchphrases at him, but embraces the attention.
“It is a lovely feeling that people put a tag on you like the ‘voice of darts’,” he told the PA news agency.
“I have been very, very lucky because my voice has been so different so it makes it obvious.
“People walk down the street and shout ‘game on’ or ‘180’ and it’s lovely.
“It’s good, for someone to do that means they are recognising what you do and I take it as a compliment.
“My calls part of the game. Every referee says game on and every referee says 180. It’s just that mine has been recognised by everyone.
“You try to make a game as exciting as you can. My calls are all natural, nobody told me to do it like that, I just wanted to be different.
“It is a spectacle and to be part of that is very important.”
Bray has been standing beside the oche for many of the most memorable moments over the last 25 years and he has seen the sport change from a pub game watched by enthusiasts into a global phenomenon.
He refereed the famous World Championship final between Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld in 2007 and lists it as his personal highlight.
“The Barney-Taylor final at the Circus Tavern, it was the last one there,” he remembers.
“It went to a sudden-death leg and Raymond hitting the bull, then Phil hits a 180 and Raymond follows with a 180 and takes out tops. That was very, very special.
“When I started you had one winner and that was Phil, he was the one who dominated for so many years.
“You come to this tournament here and there could be several winners.
“Now you could have a dozen winners that could take the title. In those days you only had one, so that is what makes it so good.
“I am going to finish at the very top, there is nothing bigger than calling the final of the World Championship on the Ally Pally stage, to finish there will be pretty nice.”
Luke Littler will aim to move a step closer to World Darts Championship glory on Tuesday night and his path became clearer after tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen crashed out.
The 16-year-old has taken Alexandra Palace by storm and became the youngest semi-finalist ever after he beat Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-final.
A semi-final against 2018 winner Rob Cross is next up, but he will no longer have to meet Van Gerwen in the final after the three-time champion suffered one of the biggest shocks in recent times, going out 5-3 to unseeded Scott Williams.
It was a new year, but the same old brilliance from the precocious Littler, who is on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time.
And the teenager believes it is going to “take a lot” to stop his juggernaut.
“It feels unbelievable. I would never have thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year,” he said. “Brendan was just another opponent in my way and I have brushed him aside and now I am into the semi-final.
“It’s going to take a lot to stop me, based on my performances so far. But it is about whatever Luke Littler turns up.
“I have got the ability to go all the way, if it’s not to be tomorrow night, it’s not to be.
“I know I have got a good chance and I have got a good feeling I could go all the way tomorrow.”
Cross has enjoyed watching Littler’s emergence, but says there will be no room for sentiment.
“Everyone loves an underdog story,” he said. “As the public and people looking at the game, everyone loves an underdog story.
“I am not being rude, I am on Luke’s side, I love an underdog story.
“It took a bit of pressure off me winning it first time as well.
“He’s fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world, he is a nice, young boy. Tomorrow we play darts, though, and I have to go down to business.”
It has been quite a tournament for Williams, who had to apologise for insensitive comments about the war after beating Germany’s Martin Schindler earlier in the tournament, but he let his darts do the talking in a career-best performance, outscoring his illustrious opponent.
He will now meet pre-tournament favourite Luke Humphries, who breezed past Dave Chisnall in the other quarter-final.
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