Littler on Cusp of Darts Greatness: 'There's More to Come'

Luke Littler believes he is nearing the pinnacle of darts excellence, rivaling the sport's legends, and is confident of an even stronger performance in the World Darts Championship final on Saturday. Having joined Phil 'The Power' Taylor as the only players to reach the PDC World Championship final in their first three appearances, Littler thrashed Ryan Searle 6-1 at Alexandra Palace, continuing his title defense. His rapid rise to world No 1, coupled with a string of TV titles over the past two years, has drawn comparisons to Taylor and Michael van Gerwen's dominance. Littler, 18, acknowledges he is moving closer to being considered a great of the sport. In a post-match press conference, Littler said, 'In their prime, they were unbelievable. I was watching them as a kid, and with what I've achieved, I can say I'm playing just as well.' He added, 'Maybe if I win tomorrow, I might be on the same level as them.' Littler is now one victory away from becoming the first player since Gary Anderson to win back-to-back world titles. 'I've joined another list of short names - now the goal is to join the list of back-to-back world champions,' Littler said. 'It's special to keep adding to these lists, but now the main goal is to win back-to-back titles.' Littler recovered from losing the opening set against Searle to fire a 105.35 average and 10 maximums during an impressive victory, seeing him through to the final having dropped just three sets throughout the tournament. 'I think I could have done better tonight,' Littler said. 'I missed a few doubles, but I was happy with my performance.' He believes there's more to come, saying, 'I think there's a bit more in the tank. A near 105 average tonight is very good, but I think we can up it a little more tomorrow and get better.' With a commanding lead at the top of the world rankings after winning six of the eight PDC-ranked televised tournaments in 2025, a second world title would extend his lead over 2024 champion Luke Humphries. The winner will also receive a record first prize of £1m. 'It's a massive prize, but it's the trophy that matters - not the money,' Littler insisted. 'Ever since the World Grand Prix and the Grand Slam of Darts, I've wanted to go back to back. Hopefully, I can lift the trophy again and think about the money after.' Sky Sports Darts' Wayne Mardle said, 'It was typical of what Littler does! The scoreline was what many people expected. I didn't expect Ryan Searle to play that poorly. He didn't get going, even after winning the first set.' Mardle added, 'Littler went for nine-darters rather than trying to win legs! Over that format, it was a good performance - hard to beat. Not just for Searle, but whoever he plays will have their work cut out in the final.'