Teenage darts prodigy Luke Littler has cemented his status as one of sport's most precocious talents by successfully defending his PDC World Darts Championship title with a crushing 7-1 victory over Dutch finalist Gian van Veen at London's Alexandra Palace.
A Rout Where a Contest Was Expected
Most pundits anticipated a stern test for the 18-year-old from Warrington against the in-form Van Veen. For the first three sets, that prediction held true. However, the match swiftly transformed into a one-sided exhibition of Littler's supreme skill and nerve. After his comprehensive dismantling, a dejected Van Veen was asked if Littler seemed unstoppable. "It felt like it," was his resigned reply.
With this triumph, Luke Littler becomes only the fourth player in history to retain a PDC world title, joining the legendary company of Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, and Gary Anderson. Historians will note the feat was first achieved by the great Eric Bristow before darts' 1993 split, and there were echoes of Bristow's prime in Littler's dominant campaign: the unshakeable confidence, the combative response to hecklers, and an aura of inevitable victory.
The Match Breakdown: Speed, Ferocity, and a Wasp
The final began at a blistering pace, suggesting a classic was in store. Van Veen started with an 11-darter and claimed the first set. He then raced to a two-leg lead in the second with back-to-back finishes of 145 and 127. Littler's response was immediate and devastating, winning the next three legs to level the match.
The opening sets were concluded in mere minutes, but the contest's decisive moment arrived in the third set when Littler sealed it with a spectacular 170 checkout. From that point, the tension evaporated. Littler raced through the fourth set and, after a minor distraction caused by a wasp circling the stage, he clinically closed out the match and the £1 million first prize with a nerveless 147 checkout.
Joining the Pantheon of Sporting Greats
Very few athletes in history have secured their legendary status before turning 18. Pelé, Nadia Comaneci, and Boris Becker are part of that exclusive club. Luke Littler has now emphatically joined them. Over three weeks at Ally Pally, only two things truly ruffled him: sustained crowd abuse in his win over Rob Cross, and the aforementioned wasp during the final.
Van Veen, who had brilliantly defeated 2024 champion Luke Humphries and two-time winner Gary Anderson in previous rounds, was gracious in defeat. Having scaled formidable peaks to reach the final, facing Littler over the marathon 13-set distance proved a challenge too far, akin to "climbing Everest without oxygen."
The Alexandra Palace crowd, a vibrant mix of fancy-dress costumes and increasingly international fans, revelled in the spectacle. The PDC reports that 20% of championship attendees now come from abroad, with strong contingents from Germany and the Netherlands, though a British winner was crowned for the seventh consecutive year.
In the aftermath, Littler did not shy away from future ambitions. While chasing Phil Taylor's 16 world titles remains a long-term dream, matching Eric Bristow's five crowns is a clear and realistic near-term goal. His appetite for success appears insatiable. "We've got to keep going," he declared, clutching the Sid Waddell trophy. "We've got to keep adding more titles." For his rivals, that is a daunting prospect.
