Luke Littler on ‘particular feeling’ of going again to again at World Darts Championship: ‘My identify is on that brief listing’

Luke Littler has hailed the “special feeling” of becoming a member of an illustrious and brief listing of gamers who’ve gone again to again on the World Darts Championship.

Littler thrashed new Dutch No 1 Gian van Veen within the ultimate, reeling off seven units in a row on the way in which to securing a 7-1 victory.

That win noticed him develop into simply the fourth back-to-back champion alongside Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson. He’s additionally the primary since ‘The Flying Scotsman’ accomplished the feat again in 2016.

Not solely that, he joins simply Taylor, John Half, Lewis, Anderson, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright in having received the most important prize in all of darts on a couple of event.

Littler had been open about the truth that being the primary particular person to return to again in a decade was his major goal heading into the event and now he has skilled the “special feeling” that not many within the sport will ever get to expertise.

Certainly, it feels he’ll expertise it many extra occasions if he continues to play his “unstoppable” model of darts whereas “hunting down” the majors he nonetheless desires to gather.

Littler can be now the holder of the World Championship, UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and the Gamers Championship titles, is the world No 1, and the primary winner of the £1m prize for successful at Alexandra Palace.

Simply the World Masters and European Championship are left for him to finish the majors haul.

“It feels amazing. It’s what dreams are made of. Everyone wants a first world title, but just to come back here and win it again, and go back to back, it feels amazing,” Littler mentioned.

“Nothing will ever beat a first world title for anyone, in any sport, because that’s the first time you’ve done it. But this was just all about retaining it, bringing it back home with me for 12 months and adding my name to the list of world champions to go back to back. It’s a very short list, but I’m on it.

“On stage at occasions, I’m unstoppable. I win video games, I lose video games. It is darts, you do not at all times win. However the World Championship is mine once more.

“The next major is the World Masters at the end of January which I haven’t got yet. The other majors later on in the year, I’ll be hunting them down.

“It is a particular feeling. It is all I’ve needed to do for the reason that World Grand Prix, main as much as the Worlds.

“The million quid, it’s there, but it comes after the trophy. The trophy’s always first. But my name’s on that short list.”

‘I used to be anticipating Gian to throw the kitchen sink at me’

Littler placed on a sensational show within the ultimate with a 106.02 common, 16 180s, 19 140s, a 46 per cent success charge on the doubles, seven units on the spin and a 147 checkout to seal the win summing up the expertise he’s.

It was a stage that Van Veen simply couldn’t sustain with, with the 18-year-old admitting he anticipated his opponent to throw extra at him and discover the degrees he did in opposition to Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson within the quarter and semi-finals respectively.

“I definitely played better after that first set. I just want to get off to a quick start. I don’t want my opponent going 1-0 up on me,” he added.

“I always want to set that marker in the game, set the standards, but I couldn’t do that. But, after that first set, it was just magic.

“When you’re enjoying 106 common over eight units, 9 occasions out of 10 you are going to win. The primary Premier League sport final yr in opposition to Michael van Gerwen, that was completely magic from each of us, and that is video games you are going to lose.

“Gian was always there. He missed a few doubles. He could have gone 2-0 up and that would have changed everything. I would have been more frustrated.

“I used to be anticipating Gian to throw the kitchen sink at me.”

Littler on the boos: The group have been with me since then!

Littler has confronted challenges all through this event, specifically the booing that got here following his feedback after his fourth-round victory over Rob Cross.

He had appeared agitated at numerous factors and provided a number of passionate celebrations throughout an eventful match, with Littler repeating the phrase ‘what now?’ on the crowd after finishing his win within the ultimate leg of the sixth set.

After clinching the win over Cross, Littler turned to the group and mentioned: “Am I bothered? Really, am I bothered?! Really not bothered!

“Can I simply say one factor? You guys pay for the tickets and also you pay for my prize cash so thanks, thanks for my cash! Thanks for booing me. Thanks – come on!”

Following that, Littler confronted some boos from the group however then admitted he needed them again on his aspect.

It’s a second that he feels has handed for the reason that crowd have been just about with him since then.

“Obviously they turned on me, but I still won my match, I still progressed to the quarter-finals,” Littler mentioned.

“Anyone wants the crowd on their side. Ever since that happened, the crowd had been on my side, quarter-finals, semi-finals and tonight, so big respect to them. They paid their good money to cheer me on this time.

“There have been just a few nervous folks this morning once I awakened. Clearly once you look over, they’re all saying, ‘come on’. At one level within the Rob Cross sport, I seemed over and all their heads have been down.

“I said, ‘keep your heads up because if I’m looking over and your head’s down, that’s not going to help me’. There wasn’t too much to worry about tonight.”

What’s subsequent?

The Premier League Darts line-up 2026 will probably be revealed on Monday January 5 at 3.30pm, stay on Sky Sports activities Information, with the format of the competitors unchanged this season.

The highest 4 from the PDC Order of Benefit – Littler, Humphries, Van Veen and Van Gerwen – will probably be joined by 4 wild-card picks to finish the line-up for a 16-week common season, performed throughout the UK and Europe, with the highest 4 within the standings then progressing to Finals Night time at The O2 in London.

Preserve updated with the 2026 Darts schedule. You can even stream darts and extra prime sport with NOW.