Luke Littler’s night in Exeter began with a record-breaking quarter-final against Stephen Bunting, where he hit ten 180s in a 6-3 victory, the most ever in a Premier League match of this format. The match itself saw a combined 16 maximums, another Premier League record.
Littler then defeated his friend Nathan Aspinall 6-2 with a 109 average, setting up a final clash with world number one Luke Humphries.
The final, however, didn’t reach the high standards expected from these top players. Despite leading 4-1, Littler was ultimately defeated by Humphries, who capitalized on Littler’s misfires. Littler still averaged 97, but Humphries secured the points, extending his lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Humphries, reflecting on his victory, said, “It felt hard work, but felt good in a weird way. I felt like my game was in a good place but in certain moments in the game I struggled so it was a bit strange. Luke played fantastic tonight, he didn’t play as great in the final but I managed to step on the gas. It was like I did in the other two games, right at the end of the game, the last two legs were fantastic as they were against Gezzy and against Rob as well.”
Littler, despite the loss, remains well-positioned for the play-offs. With consistent performances, he’s on track to compete at London’s O2 Arena on May 29th. His competitive nature, however, will drive him to seek a second night victory in Brighton next week.
Littler’s year has been filled with records, including becoming the youngest ever world champion. His talent continues to fuel darts’ growth. He now shifts his focus to the UK Open in Minehead, often compared to football’s FA Cup.
