World Darts Championship: Luke Littler on new pressure and ‘toughest game’ after winning start at Alexandra Palace | Darts News happymamay

Luke Littler has experienced just about everything in darts over the past year – both on and off the stage – although his quest for a maiden world championship title began with new emotional challenges at Alexandra Palace.

The teenage sensation was the main name in Saturday evening’s line-up, 12 months after his impressive run to the final on his debut, with Littler – the pre-tournament favourite – successfully opening his campaign over Suffolk’s Ryan Mikel.

The 3-1 scoreline failed to tell the full story of Littler’s eventful opening match, as he briefly looked in danger of a shock early exit before dominating the closing stages to set up a third-round meeting with European Championship winner Richie Edhouse or Ian White. .

Littler was mere millimeters away from shooting the second nine-dart of the tournament during the ridiculous fourth and final set, winning by just 32 darts and by a staggering record average of 140.91, while the 17-year-old was left in tears and cuts. He cut short his interview on stage after his win.

“This was probably the hardest game I’ve ever played, but you have to get over the line,” Littler said in his press conference. “I don’t know where I got the last set, but I had to fight until the end.

“When I got to that stage I was very nervous, but I managed to find my game from somewhere. I know I’m the favourite, but you have to focus on winning your first match, and that’s what I did tonight.

“Like I said, it’s the worst game I’ve ever played. I’ve never felt anything like it tonight.”

Littler faced a long wait to return to the Alexandra Palace stage, with his opening match coming on day seven and the 12th round of this year’s tournament, giving the fourth seed more time to ponder his Sid Waddell Trophy prospects.

“This is probably the first and biggest time [pressure] “He hit me,” Letlier said He told Sky Sports. “In the Premier League, the first night against Luke Humphries, I was nervous then, but all year – all the European tours, all the major tournaments I played in – I was fine.

“Coming here, before that, is good. As soon as George Nobel [referee] “I said, ‘Game on,’ I was like, ‘I can’t throw them.’

He added: “[Pressure] It was a lot to deal with, but like I said, progress was good. As soon as George said “game on,” I couldn’t do it. The first set, I wasn’t supposed to win it, but I did. Then after that second break, you just have to pull yourself over the line. “

Littler has already won the Premier League title and the Grand Slam of Darts in 2024, and is expected to compete with defending champion Luke Humphries for the World Championship, both in the same half of the draw, although he refused to get carried away on the prospect.

“I would never say I was going to win a world championship,” Littler explained. “I know that almost every player has the ability to do this.

“I would never come here, after a game like this especially, and say I’m going to beat everyone. You just have to focus on the next game.

Part: “New Experiences” by the “God of Arrows” Littler

Littler has quickly become a household name in 2024, finishing as runner-up in BBC Sports Personality of the Year and also the most Googled athlete in the UK, not forgetting the ten PDC titles in his first full year as a professional.

“I don’t think anyone can understand the amount of pressure it puts on him,” former world champion John Bart said. He told Sky Sports. “There may be a few people who have played the game who might understand it, but certainly no one at his age has had to deal with it.

“I think the whole reality of what he did in the game that started in the World Series last year finally came crashing down on him after the win. It’s great that it wasn’t after the loss, because it didn’t seem that fair after everything he did for the game.”

“He’s the god of darts in the eyes of a lot of people who have been waiting for him. That’s a lot to live up to for him. I think this was his first experience of what a real professional career in the world championships is like.”

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