Luke Littler admits he still has a considerable journey ahead before he can lay claim to the title of "the greatest ever" in darts, yet he remains driven to tick off the milestones on his personal checklist, beginning with a consecutive World Matchplay triumph in Blackpool. His recent performance nudged him a step nearer to that ambition, as he secured a place in the quarter‑finals by edging out Nathan Aspinall 11‑8 in a match that was as dramatic as it was decisive. From the very first leg, Littler announced his intent with a flawless nine‑dart finish, a rarity that instantly electrified the arena. The excitement didn’t stop there; in the fourth leg he came agonisingly close to a second perfect leg, missing only by a single dart at double 15.
Throughout the contest he amassed a staggering fourteen 180s, and his three‑dart average of 113.68 ranks as the second‑highest ever recorded at the World Matchplay, trailing only Phil Taylor’s historic 114.99 from 2010. Littler is now on a quest to become the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2017 to retain the Blackpool crown. The current world number one already holds an impressive haul of titles, including the World Darts Championship, the UK Open, the Premier League and the Masters, and he is also defending the Matchplay, Grand Slam, Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals.
With a clean sweep still firmly in his sights, Littler’s immediate challenge is to defend his seaside title and continue building the case for being the sport’s next legend. "Obviously that talk's been going on for, I think, from when I first came onto the scene, it was 'will he be the next Phil Taylor?'" Littler reflected. He added that he measures greatness by the number of world championships he can accumulate: "I have always said, unless I win 16 of these, 16 World Championships and whatever rest, then I think I will be the greatest.
Am I going to be around in 16 years' time? Who knows? If I win 16 back‑to‑back World Championships, I am gone." In his epic duel with Aspinall, Littler fell just one dart short of a second nine‑darter – a feat that only Taylor has managed on television.
The early nine‑dart finish seemed almost pre‑ordained, perhaps hinted at by his practice sessions. "I just want to produce my best stats every game I play and I think I have done it again tonight," Littler said after the match. "I think I was, at one point, at the highest average and Phil had 114. So, I know that record is there to be broken." He admitted the near‑miss on double 15 was gut‑wrenching: "Everyone is asking me how I did it, but I don't really know.
It was the first leg of the game and then to go on and wire the double 15 again, that was really gutting to not hit two in a game. I was practising at home today and I did a first to 11 against the dart bot. I actually missed the double 15 and then my sister's boyfriend went, 'oh, you're c**p, you'.
I was saving it till later. And I hit it." Despite the disappointment of losing such a thrilling encounter, Aspinall chose to view the defeat as fuel for future success. In a post‑match social‑media statement he described the contest as "the most enjoyable game of darts I have played in my career. Had absolutely everything and I gave it my all.
Fair play to Luke Littler, you were simply unreal. Six treble‑less visits in 19 legs is the stat that jumps out to me. Wow. That has certainly given me the hunger back.
Support was unreal as per." The tournament moves into its second round on Wednesday, with four more high‑stakes matches slated for live broadcast on Sky Sports. Cameron Menzies will look to build on his impressive victory over world No 2 Luke Humphries when he faces Ross Smith.
Gerwyn Price is set to clash with former world champion Rob Cross, while world No 3 Gian van Veen will meet in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman, and James Wade will take on Ryan Searle. As the World Matchplay progresses, fans will be watching to see whether Littler can defend his title and add another chapter to his rapidly growing legacy.
The combination of his youthful confidence, record‑breaking averages and the ability to produce magic moments such as nine‑dart finishes suggests he may indeed be on the path to becoming the next great of darts. All eyes remain on Blackpool as the drama unfolds, and the sport’s future continues to be written one perfect leg at a time.