“Two more opportunities”: Luke Littler hunting down elusive World Series success after World Matchplay confidence booster
Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts prodigy and world No. 2, is chasing his first World Series of Darts title at the Australian Darts Masters (August 8-9, 2025) and New Zealand Darts Masters (August 15-16, 2025), viewing these as “two more opportunities” to add to his illustrious resume. Speaking to Sky Sports on August 7, 2025, Littler expressed confidence boosted by his World Matchplay victory, saying, “Coming off the Matchplay win, I’m feeling very confident. I’ve got two more opportunities to get that World Series title, and I’m up for the task.” His 18-13 win over James Wade in Blackpool, where he hit a nine-darter against Josh Rock and averaged 107.24 in the final, cemented his Triple Crown status, making him the fifth player to win the World Championship, Premier League, and World Matchplay, per BBC Sport.
Littler’s pursuit of World Series glory follows near misses, including a runner-up finish to Gerwyn Price at the 2024 Australian Darts Masters and a 6-4 quarterfinal loss to Nathan Aspinall at the US Darts Masters in June 2025, where he averaged 108.9 but faltered on doubles, per Sky Sports. In Wollongong, Littler faces Rob Cross or Peter Wright in the first round, with potential matchups against Michael van Gerwen or Luke Humphries looming. The non-ranking World Series events, while not affecting his £1.5 million PDC rankings tally—£300,000 behind Humphries’ £1.8 million—offer a £60,000 first prize, per dartsnews.com.
His Matchplay performance, including a record 29 maximums against Rock, showcased his scoring prowess and mental resilience, overcoming a 6-1 deficit, as noted by @OfficialPDC on X. Littler’s ability to rally from behind, also seen in his UK Open win over Wade (11-2), fuels his optimism. “I know I’ve got it in me to pick myself back up,” he told dartsnews.com, reflecting on his comeback experience. Traveling with girlfriend Faith Millar, Littler is settled in Australia, saying, “The crowd will get me up for it,” per Gazette Series. As he aims to “conquer everything” in darts, these events are critical steps toward eclipsing Phil Taylor’s legacy.
