Teenager Luke Littler will hope his history-making World Championship journey ends in glory when he plays Luke Humphries in the final.
It has been a whirlwind two weeks for the 16-year-old debutant, who is the youngest ever player to reach the climax of the premier darts tournament.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how Littler has stormed through the tournament.
First round – Beat Christian Kist 3-0
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Having earned his place by winning the World Youth Championship in November, Littler’s record-breaking started in his first-round match. The teenage debutant destroyed Christian Kist in straight sets, averaging a mammoth 106.12, which is the highest ever by a player on debut at the World Championship.
Second round – beat Andrew Gilding 3-1
LITTLER HAS DONE IT AGAIN!
Luke Littler wins his second game on the Ally Pally stage in as many days as he defeats Andrew Gilding 3-1!
The 16-year-old is into round three!
📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD#WCDarts | R2 pic.twitter.com/9NDucg701P
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 21, 2023
The UK Open champion ought to have provided a sterner test but he was also brushed aside to ensure ‘The Nuke’ returned to the Alexandra Palace after Christmas. His numbers were not as good as his opening-round win, but he became the youngest player to ever reach the third round of the World Championship with another assured display.
Third round – beat Matt Campbell 4-1
The hype was growing around Littler as he resumed his campaign two days after Christmas and the gifts kept on coming as he sent the Canadian packing. It was a mammoth 164 checkout and an impressive doubles percentage that saw him over the line to keep the dream – and the media hype – alive.
Last 16 – beat Raymond van Barneveld 4-1
WOW 👀 pic.twitter.com/gDnxGmJumB
— Luke Littler (@LukeTheNuke180) December 31, 2023
Littler used to imitate Van Barneveld as a three-year-old so to get the chance to play him on the Alexandra Palace stage was a dream come true. And it was the 16-year-old that played like a five-time world champion as the apprentice demolished the master. He averaged a superb 105.01 and threw nine 180s to prove his credentials as a genuine contender.
Quarter-final – beat Brendan Dolan 5-1
The Littler juggernaut showed no signs of stopping as he demolished Dolan with a superb display. Dolan had ousted former world champions Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson on the way to the last eight but he could not cope with Littler’s heavy scoring and mature matchplay as he again averaged over 100.
Semi-final – beat Rob Cross 6-2
INTO THE FINAL 🔥
A scintillating performance from Luke Littler once again!
106.05 average
16x 180s
47% doublesThe 16-year-old's dream run is now one away from the title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/EzujWOiUn6
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 2, 2024
The teenager saved his best for the biggest occasion as he put in a masterful performance to beat 2018 champion Cross – the last man to win on debut. He lost the first set to trail for the first time in the tournament but soon showed he is the player for the big occasion, winning with a 106.05 average and 16 180s to keep the dream alive.
By Jonathan Veal, PA
