A TEARFUL LUKE Littler came within millimetres of opening his quest for a maiden World Championship crown with a nine-dart finish as he beat Ryan Meikle in record-breaking fashion. The teenage sensation was back on the Alexandra Palace stage 12 months on from his remarkable debut run to the final and showed everyone why he is the favourite to win the title this year. Littler was a breath away from darting perfection when he missed a double 12 but threw a stunning 140.
91 average in the final set to win 3-1. That is the record for the highest average in a single set at the World Championship as the 17-year-old continues to break barriers. The win was extremely emotional for Littler, who cut his onstage interview short after breaking down in tears.
Littler was the main attraction on Saturday night, arriving at the tournament as the biggest name in the sport, fresh from his second-placed finish in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and becoming the most searched sportsman on Google in the UK during 2024. And he is favourite for this year’s tournament after a stunning year, which has seen him win 10 PDC titles, including the Premier League and Grand Slam of Darts. He started slowly but burst into life at the back end of the match, sealing the set in just 32 darts, including that agonising nine-darter attempt.
The 17-year-old booked his return to Ally Pally after Christmas and will now play Ritchie Edhouse or Ian White in the third round. “It was the toughest game I have pl.
