Littler’s Record-Breaking Performance
Luke Littler successfully defended his World Matchplay title in Blackpool, achieving new tournament and final average records. The 19-year-old defeated Gerwyn Price 18-9, becoming the fourth player to secure consecutive Matchplay titles. Littler concluded the week with an average of 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor‘s 2010 record of 106.31. In the final match, he recorded an average of 111.53, exceeding Taylor’s 2013 final average of 111.23 against Adrian Lewis.
Littler’s prize money for winning the event was £225,000. His earnings on the PDC‘s two-year order of merit now stand at £3,143,500. Price, who averaged 104.97 in the final, advanced to fourth place in the order of merit and reclaimed his position as the Welsh number one from Jonny Clayton.
Littler entered the final as the favourite. He secured an early break with a 167 finish in the fourth leg, leading to a 4-1 advantage in the first mini-session. Although his level decreased slightly in subsequent sessions, he still won both 3-2. He reached within two legs of victory with a 148 checkout, his sixth ton-plus finish in the final, ultimately claiming his fourth ranking title of the calendar year.
The double world champion also achieved 12 180s in the final, setting a new tournament record of 66, surpassing his own total from the previous year. This victory extends his streak to 29 consecutive wins in longer-format matches, defined as games with 20 or more legs. His last defeat in such a match occurred in the 2024 World Championship final.
Path to the Final
In the semi-finals, Littler overcame Dirk van Duijvenbode with a 17-5 victory to reach the final. Littler quickly established a 4-0 lead after breaking throw in the opening leg. Van Duijvenbode had defeated Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson to reach his first World Matchplay semi-final. Despite a 145 finish in the 11th leg, Littler maintained control, taking a 12-3 lead at the interval with a 130 checkout.
Littler moved within one leg of victory before missing five match darts. He then had a chance for a potential nine-dart finish before securing the win with a double 20. He finished the match with an average of 110 and hit 16 maximums. Littler commented on his performance, noting that his average at one point was 117 and that he prioritised maintaining a high average.
In the other semi-final, Price secured a 17-10 win against world number three Gian van Veen. Price took an early 4-1 lead with a 125 checkout. Van Veen then won three consecutive legs, including two breaks, to narrow the score to 6-4. Price regained control in the latter half of the match as Van Veen’s finishing faltered. Price won four successive legs to lead 15-9 before sealing his victory by hitting double top.
Future Aspirations
Following his victory, Littler expressed his ambition to achieve a clean sweep of the PDC ranking titles within the calendar year, a feat not previously accomplished. The Players Championship Finals in November are a key challenge for this goal. To qualify, Littler would likely need to participate in and win some Pro Tour events.
He has not participated in the first 24 Pro Tour events and has withdrawn from two scheduled for Hildesheim. This leaves eight remaining events for him to feature in Minehead. A total of 64 players qualify for the Players Championship Finals, with the current 64th-ranked player having £22,750 in prize money. Littler acknowledged the effort required, mentioning that he might need to attend events in Leicester.
Former BDO world champion Mark Webster stated he “half expects” Littler to achieve the clean sweep. Webster noted that Littler’s game appears robust across various formats and scenarios, suggesting he aims to break records. Littler’s last defeat in a longer-format match was in the 2024 World Championship final.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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Charlie Bradshaw is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with ten years of reporting experience. He covered Merseyside football before going national. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Liverpool John Moores University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Liverpool, he watches non-league sides and collects old match programmes. “The back page is only ever half the story.”