For Luke Littler, the past World Matchplay ended in disappointment. The 17-year-old lost 10-6 to Michael van Gerwen in the first round.
Littler, however, has had a fantastic first six months at the PDC. After his final place at the World Darts Championship early this year, he piled up the wins. The Nuke won a Players Championship almost immediately and then also two tournaments of the European Tour and two tournaments of the World Series of Darts. The crowning achievement, however, was winning the Premier League Darts.
The Sky thus seemed to be the limit for the young Englishman, but at the World Matchplay things went wrong right away. However, Chris Dobey, himself also active at the past World Matchplay (losing in the second round 11-9 to Michael Smith), thinks the positive should prevail. “What he’s done for darts is unbelievable,” Dobey admitted. “And in just a few months he has put darts back on the map… He’s brought everybody’s eyes to the sport again and he’s been great!”
Littler was also invited to the Premier League Darts after his World Championship final. There were some doubts beforehand as to whether that was too early, but he played all doubts away and thus won this prestigious competition immediately on his debut. “He’s a great addition…. Look what he’s done in the Premier League! They had to put him in and he went on to win that, you know, So he proved he can do it.”
Littler’s win in the Premier League was his biggest yet – but it was no surprise to Dobey: “I knew he’s been this good for a long time, and it’s just proved myself and all of a few others right! You know, and he’s a nice kid. He’s a proper, down to earth kid. He’s still shy. He’s still that young 17-year-old kid. So it’s hard for him as well to be around everybody because he’s he’s just getting used to this, and he’s still new to this all.
“He’s a good kid, and like I said, he’s brought the sport back to the top!”
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