January 3rd 2025.
Luke Littler, a 17-year-old darts prodigy, has made history by becoming the youngest world champion in the sport's history. In a thrilling match against Michael van Gerwen, Littler emerged victorious and secured the prestigious 2025 World Darts Championship title. This was only his second appearance at the iconic event held at Alexandra Palace, making his achievement even more remarkable. Not only did he claim the title, but he also pocketed a substantial amount of prize money and denied MVG his fourth championship win.
Last year, Littler made his debut at the World Darts Championship and stunned the sports world with his incredible performance, reaching the final. This time, he went one step further and lifted the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy after a superb 7-3 victory over the Dutch star. The moment was filled with emotions as Littler was seen in tears, hugging his parents and being presented the trophy by legendary British cyclist Sir Chris Hoy.
In an interview with Sky Sports, a beaming Littler said, "I can't believe it! Honestly, I can't believe it. I said in my interviews that I needed to get off to a quick start, and that's exactly what I did. Michael was right behind me the whole game. Every time he hit two trebles and I had to come back with two or three, he was right there. It's every player's dream to lift this trophy, but you have to go through a tough field to get there."
Friday's match was the 13th time Littler and Van Gerwen faced off against each other, with the English teen now leading 7-6 in their head-to-head record. Littler was well aware that he needed to be at his best to beat the formidable "Green Machine," who had won their last three trophy deciders.
The first set saw some early drama as Van Gerwen busted his score by hitting D16 before Littler secured a break of throw. The set continued in a tense manner, with Littler eventually winning it 3-1 on Van Gerwen's throw. In the second set, Littler capitalized on Van Gerwen's struggles on the outer-ring and took a 2-0 lead. He then won three consecutive legs to go 3-0 up, visibly frustrating Van Gerwen.
The domination continued for Littler as he won the third set to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Van Gerwen's nightmare continued as he busted his score again in the fourth set, with Littler capitalizing on his mistakes and going 4-0 up. Although Van Gerwen managed to win a set, it was too late as Littler swiftly restored his four-set cushion, leading 5-1 with an impressive average of 110.1.
Despite Van Gerwen pulling back two sets, it was not enough to stop Littler from claiming a well-deserved 7-3 victory in front of a thrilled crowd at Ally Pally. Reflecting on his defeat, Van Gerwen said, "I came 4-0 behind, and after that, I didn't do myself justice. Every time he had the chance to hurt me, he did. I always say that every 17 years, a star is born, and he's one of them. I had a great tournament, but I've been battling my own game. You have to take it on the chin and take it as a champion. It hurts, but that's how it should be."
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