Luke Littler admits that, despite his recent successes, he still feels he has a long road ahead before he can be called the "greatest ever" in darts. Nevertheless, he is determined to keep ticking items off his growing list of ambitions, beginning with a back‑to‑back triumph at the World Matchplay in Blackpool. His latest step toward that aim came in a thrilling quarter‑final clash against Josh Rock, which Littler secured after a dramatic 11‑8 win over Nathan Aspinall.
The match was a masterclass from the young Englishman. He opened the first leg with a perfect nine‑dart finish, a feat that instantly electrified the arena. In the fourth leg he came within a single dart of a second perfect leg, missing only the double 15.
Over the course of the game he also produced an astonishing 14 maximums (180s), and his average of 113.68 ranks as the second‑highest ever recorded at the World Matchplay, trailing only Phil Taylor’s 114.99 in 2010. Littler’s goal is to become the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2017 to retain the Blackpool title. The current world number one already holds the World Darts Championship, the UK Open, the Premier League and the Masters, and he is also defending his crowns at the Matchplay, the Grand Slam, the Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals. With such a clean sweep still within reach, Littler knows he must start the defence of his Blackpool crown on the seaside stage.
When asked about the constant comparisons to legends, Littler said, "Obviously that talk's been going on since I first appeared on the scene – people keep asking if I'll be the next Phil Taylor." He added a personal benchmark for greatness: "I’ve always said that unless I win 16 World Championships – or something close to that – I won’t consider myself the greatest. I don’t know if I’ll still be around in 16 years, but if I could win 16 back‑to‑back World titles, I’d be done." In the epic battle with Aspinall, Littler missed the double 15 by a hair’s breadth, leaving him one dart shy of a second nine‑dart finish – a feat only Taylor has managed on television.
The early nine‑dart leg seemed almost pre‑planned; Littler confessed that his practice routine may have given him a feeling that a perfect leg was imminent. "I just want to put up my best numbers every night, and I think I did that again tonight," he said after the match. He reflected on his performance, noting, "At one point I think I was the highest‑average player of the night, with Phil at 114.
I know that record is there to be broken. Everyone asks how I did it, but I really don’t know. It was the first leg, and then to miss the double 15 again was gut‑wrenching – two chances in a game and I didn’t take them." Littler also shared a lighter anecdote about his preparation: "I was practising at home today, playing a first‑to‑11 game against the dart‑bot. I missed the double 15 and my sister’s boyfriend shouted, ‘Oh, you’re c**p, you!’ I told myself I’d save it for later – and then I hit it." Despite the disappointment of losing such a high‑octane encounter, Aspinall took the defeat as fuel for future success.
He described the match as the best he has ever played and vowed to use the experience to sharpen his hunger. In a social‑media statement he wrote, "The most enjoyable game of darts I have ever played in my career.
I had everything and 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. The support was unreal as well." The second round of the World Matchplay continues on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports, featuring four more marquee match‑ups.
Cameron Menzies will look to build on his impressive win over world No. 2 Luke Humphries when he faces Ross Smith. Gerwyn Price will take on former world champion Rob Cross, while world No.
3 Gian van Veen meets in‑form Dutchman Wessel Nijman. James Wade will round out the slate with a showdown against Ryan Searle. As the tournament progresses, fans will be watching to see whether Littler can defend his title and add another trophy to his rapidly growing collection. With his remarkable nine‑dart finish, a near‑miss at a second perfect leg, and a historic average, he has already signalled that he belongs among the sport’s elite.
Whether he can translate that promise into sustained dominance remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the future of darts looks very bright indeed for the young prodigy from Blackpool.