Sky Sports Darts analyst Mark Webster has hailed Luke Littler’s triumph at the World Matchplay as perhaps the most impressive major campaign ever witnessed in the sport. The 23‑year‑old’s dominant performance not only secured him another marquee title but also sent a clear signal to his rivals that the bar has been raised dramatically. Littler capped a record‑breaking week with a resounding 18‑9 victory over Gerwyn Price in the final, posting a staggering average of 111.53 – the highest ever recorded in a Matchplay final.

In addition to the historic average, he eclipsed his own record for the number of 180s thrown throughout the tournament, upping the tally from 64 in 2025 to an astonishing 66 in 2026. The Blackpool triumph made Littler only the fourth player in the event’s history to claim back‑to‑back titles, and the first to do so in a decade.

It also keeps his ambition alive of sweeping all the major titles on the calendar in a single season. Already in his trophy cabinet are the World Darts Championship, the UK Open, the Premier League, the Masters and now the Matchplay. He enters the remainder of the year as the defending champion in the Grand Slam, the Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals, while also eyeing a European Championship win that would give him every premier title on offer.

Webster believes Littler’s run at the Matchplay represents the greatest major display in darts history and suggests it is another indicator that the world number one is on a trajectory to hold every major trophy simultaneously. "I keep asking myself – what can the other players cling to now? Where is the weakness?

What do they do?" Webster asked after the final. Littler’s form has been nothing short of spectacular. He is consistently forcing opponents into missed doubles, creating a recipe for dominance that few have been able to replicate. "He is playing fantastically at the moment and making his opponents miss.

It’s a recipe for dominance," Webster noted. The player appears to set personal challenges within each tournament, constantly pushing his own standards higher.

"The tournament average has been on his mind. He sets a challenge inside a challenge," the commentator added. Winning a major is already a massive achievement, but Littler seems to treat each victory as a stepping stone toward an even loftier goal. "He’s leaving 170s on the table because he is dominating contests," Webster observed, highlighting the level of control Littler exerts over his matches.

The young star’s confidence is evident; he trusts every aspect of his game and appears to be in a completely dominant mood. "You just have to admire it.

We probably think he can’t get any better, but he will keep trying," said Webster. The statistics back up the praise.

A tournament average of 111.53 is unprecedented, and Webster believes this could be the greatest major campaign ever recorded. "If you look at the stats alone, he has a tournament average of 111. It’s an incredible achievement and one that in 12 months’ time he will try to eclipse," the analyst remarked.

He even hinted that Littler could win every major in 2026, a feat that would cement his place among the legends of the game. "I half expect it – he could win every major. European Champs maybe?

Players Championship? I’m just throwing things out there," Webster said, acknowledging the difficulty but also the plausibility of such a clean sweep.

For those trying to chase Littler down the rankings, the question now is what they need to do next. Records have fallen, Blackpool has been dominated, and Littler is already looking ahead to his next objectives.

His last defeat in a major that extended beyond 20 legs came at the hands of Luke Humphries in the 2024 World Darts Championship, underscoring how rare his losses have become. Webster believes that to even approach Littler’s level, competitors will need to establish "new standards" of performance. "It just sends out a message now to the rest of the pack about the standard you have to reach to get anywhere near him," he explained. Every player from this event will have to take stock of what happened and adjust accordingly.

Even seasoned veterans like Michael van Gerwen are feeling the pressure. "Michael van Gerwen has had a huge end to the year, but he’s down at world No. 7 now, which feels strange to say. There’s work for him to do – he was a finalist at the World Darts Championship two years ago, so there’s still money on the line," Webster commented.

He emphasized that after each tournament, players must review their performances, identify areas for improvement, and prepare for the business end of the season. Looking ahead, the next PDC‑ranked televised major is the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, scheduled for 28 September to 4 October at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, broadcast live on Sky Sports. Littler will return as defending champion after last year’s victory over Luke Humphries in the double‑in, double‑out format. Following that, the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December to 3 January) will also be aired on Sky Sports, with Littler aiming to retain his titles in both events.

In summary, Luke Littler’s Matchplay triumph has not only added another prestigious trophy to his collection but also redefined the benchmark for excellence in professional darts. His record‑setting average, unprecedented number of 180s, and back‑to‑back titles signal a new era in which the sport’s elite will need to elevate their game dramatically if they hope to challenge the young champion’s growing legacy. The coming months promise a series of high‑stakes contests where Littler will look to cement his dominance, while his rivals scramble to find the missing pieces that could finally bring them back into contention.