Luke Littler: Teenager has to live with ridiculous level of pressure at World Darts Championship

[ad_1] Legend John Half says teenager Luke Littler has to dwell with "ridiculous" ranges of strain as he bids to win his maiden World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

Littler got here inside millimetres of a nine-dart end as he beat Ryan Meikle in record-breaking style on Saturday evening.

The 17-year-old was again on the massive stage 12 months on from his exceptional debut run to the ultimate and confirmed everybody why he's the favorite to win the title this yr.

Littler was a breath away from darting perfection when he missed a double 12 however threw a surprising 140.91 common within the closing set to win 3-1.

<div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-site-video sdc-article-widget callfn" data-account-id="6057984924001" data-amp-iframe-embed="" data-asset-id="94f3beb2-f0f2-4b7f-b604-2a249bce0bdc" data-asset-path="" data-asset-version="" data-autoplay="false" data-auth-config="{"url":"https://api.condatis.sky/auth/video/token","tokenRequired":true,"fetchMethod":"url","fetchOptions":{"encoded":true},"headers":{"X-SkyGDP-Proposition":"sportweb","X-SkyGDP-Territory":"GB","Authorization":"OGY5ZDgxZjRhNzYwNGQ3MTljMjFhMDJlOGVmODRhYzA="}}" data-caption="The teenager claimed the final set against Meikle in just 32 darts to advance to the third round" data-clip-type="" data-component-name="sdc-site-video" data-competition="" data-copy-url-text="URL copied to clipboard" data-fn="sdc-site-video" data-id="id_94f3beb2-f0f2-4b7f-b604-2a249bce0bdc" data-is-live-stream="false" data-lite="true" data-options="" data-originator-id="49" data-originator-handle="brightcove-sport-gb" data-package-name="" data-provider="brightcove" data-player-id="DESF5xFjJ" data-playsinline="" data-sensitive="false" data-sdc-id="6782980" data-sdc-video-id="94f3beb2-f0f2-4b7f-b604-2a249bce0bdc" data-sport-category="" data-state="loading" data-token-state="none" data-video-ad-unit="videoplayer" data-video-blacklisted-originator-ids="" data-video-id="ref:94f3beb2-f0f2-4b7f-b604-2a249bce0bdc" data-video-type="" data-auto-pause-on-not-visible="" tabindex="-1" data-closed-captions-position="" data-show-closed-captions="true" data-show-pip="" data-show-live-stream-scrubber=""> Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

<img loading="lazy" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-darts-luke-littler_6783174.jpg?20241222113309" alt="Luke Littler's record-breaking set at Worlds" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-darts-luke-littler_6783174.jpg?20241222113309 600w,https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/1600x900/skysports-darts-luke-littler_6783174.jpg?20241222113309" aria-hidden="true" class="sdc-site-video__poster-img"/> {The teenager} claimed the ultimate set in opposition to Meikle in simply 32 darts to advance to the third spherical <div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-site-video sdc-article-widget callfn" data-account-id="6057984924001" data-amp-iframe-embed="" data-asset-id="c2321419-e6e4-4f84-89f5-1e53dd305e12" data-asset-path="" data-asset-version="" data-autoplay="false" data-auth-config="{"url":"https://api.condatis.sky/auth/video/token","tokenRequired":true,"fetchMethod":"url","fetchOptions":{"encoded":true},"headers":{"X-SkyGDP-Proposition":"sportweb","X-SkyGDP-Territory":"GB","Authorization":"OGY5ZDgxZjRhNzYwNGQ3MTljMjFhMDJlOGVmODRhYzA="}}" data-caption="Littler reflected on his 3-1 win over Ryan Meikle in his World Championship Darts opener" data-clip-type="" data-component-name="sdc-site-video" data-competition="" data-copy-url-text="URL copied to clipboard" data-fn="sdc-site-video" data-id="id_c2321419-e6e4-4f84-89f5-1e53dd305e12" data-is-live-stream="false" data-lite="true" data-options="" data-originator-id="49" data-originator-handle="brightcove-sport-gb" data-package-name="" data-provider="brightcove" data-player-id="DESF5xFjJ" data-playsinline="" data-sensitive="false" data-sdc-id="6783015" data-sdc-video-id="c2321419-e6e4-4f84-89f5-1e53dd305e12" data-sport-category="" data-state="loading" data-token-state="none" data-video-ad-unit="videoplayer" data-video-blacklisted-originator-ids="" data-video-id="ref:c2321419-e6e4-4f84-89f5-1e53dd305e12" data-video-type="" data-auto-pause-on-not-visible="" tabindex="-1" data-closed-captions-position="" data-show-closed-captions="true" data-show-pip="" data-show-live-stream-scrubber=""> Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

<img loading="lazy" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-darts-wdc-littler_6783021.jpg?20241222000424" alt="Luke Littler reflected on his 3-1 win over Ryan Meikle in his World Championship Darts opener." srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-darts-wdc-littler_6783021.jpg?20241222000424 600w,https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/1600x900/skysports-darts-wdc-littler_6783021.jpg?20241222000424" aria-hidden="true" class="sdc-site-video__poster-img"/> Littler mirrored on his 3-1 win over Ryan Meikle in his World Championship Darts opener That's the file for the best common in a single set on the world championship because the Warrington ace continues to interrupt boundaries.

The win was extraordinarily emotional for Littler, who lower his onstage interview quick after breaking down in tears.

"I do not assume anybody can perceive how a lot strain he has on him," Half informed Sky Sports activities. "There may be a number of people who performed the sport which may perceive it, however definitely nobody's ever needed to take care of it at his age.

"Simply the overwhelming quantity of calls for on his time and any probability of him not performing, I feel that actually weighs on him. I am positive there's a lot aid for him.

"I am positive he is dissatisfied about lacking a nine-darter, however I do not assume that has something to do with the discharge on the finish. I feel it is wholesome sufficient.

"You will have quite a lot of emotion constructed up there, and you need to management that whilst you're enjoying. That is why he is a winner. what, if he must have somewhat time to himself after, then that is superb."

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Littler arrived on the match as the most important title within the sport and 'The Nuke' booked his return to Ally Pally after Christmas in opposition to Ritchie Edhouse or Ian White within the third spherical.

"He has been having enjoyable, in all probability going to all these new locations, enjoying these tournaments he hasn't performed earlier than, successful quite a lot of them, enjoying quite a lot of matches," Half continued. "When you like enjoying darts, enjoying quite a lot of matches is enjoyable.

"He has been having a good time, however I feel the entire actuality of what he is performed for the sport that began eventually yr's World Championship lastly form of got here crashing down on him after successful.

"It is nice that it wasn't after a loss, as a result of it simply would not even appear honest in any case he is performed for the sport.

"It occurred to me watching Luke that none of his experiences enjoying matches final yr are of any assist to him, I do not assume, as a result of I feel he is a complete totally different participant now. He has totally different expectations for himself and from his opponents, what they'll do in opposition to him.

"There was a type of awkwardness final yr, enjoying a then 16-year-old and gamers did not know what to make of it. 'Am I going to be embarrassed if I lose, perhaps?' These old style concepts, proper? Not this yr - he is the match favorite.

"He's the darts god in lots of people's eyes that they have been ready for. That is a lot to dwell as much as for him. I simply assume this was the primary expertise of what his actual skilled profession is at world championships.

"The expectation ranges, the ridiculous degree of strain that he'll should dwell with. It will not go away, it will be each time he performs, however he'll grow to be conditioned, I am positive."

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-luke-littler-darts_6783173.png?20241222113143" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/384x216/skysports-luke-littler-darts_6783173.png?20241222113143 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/768x432/skysports-luke-littler-darts_6783173.png?20241222113143 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/1600x900/skysports-luke-littler-darts_6783173.png?20241222113143 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/12/2048x1152/skysports-luke-littler-darts_6783173.png?20241222113143 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="LitterMania 2024"/> Watch the World Darts Championship on Sky Sports activities <img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/768x432/skysports-luke-humphries-world-darts-championship_6411608.jpg?20240103232740" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/384x216/skysports-luke-humphries-world-darts-championship_6411608.jpg?20240103232740 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/768x432/skysports-luke-humphries-world-darts-championship_6411608.jpg?20240103232740 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/1600x900/skysports-luke-humphries-world-darts-championship_6411608.jpg?20240103232740 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/2048x1152/skysports-luke-humphries-world-darts-championship_6411608.jpg?20240103232740 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Luke Humphries celebrates with his trophy after beating Luke Littler in the final of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, London. Picture date: Wednesday January 3, 2024."/> Picture: Luke Humphries is aiming to defend the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace Watch all of the motion on the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship from Alexandra Palace on Sky Sports activities Darts as Luke Humphries defends his title with Littler, Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson all difficult 'Cool Hand' for the Sid Waddell Trophy - and you may take pleasure in the perfect right here.

Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match completely dwell till January 3 on Sky Sports activities' devoted darts channel. Stream darts and extra prime sport with NOW.