James Wade showered praise on Luke Littler after the reigning darts world champion demolished him 11-2 to claim the UK Open title. Littler’s ruthless performance in the final secured his fifth TV major, netting £110,000, leaving Wade pondering how anyone can halt the teenage prodigy. “I was solid in the semis, but Luke just obliterated me in the final,” Wade conceded.
“I’m the veteran here, yet he smashed me to pieces! What do you do against that? He was miles ahead—hats off to him. Right now, he’s easily the best, or at worst second-best, player in the world.”
Littler reveled in the victory, a redemption after last year’s quarter-final exit to Damon Heta. “This one meant a lot to me,” he said. “It’s my third UK Open—I debuted here at 16, hit the quarters last year, and now I’ve gone three steps further to win it! I had a mission tonight, and nabbing that trophy lets me cross it off my list.”
Wade, despite the final loss, showcased his own resurgence by edging out world No. 1 Luke Humphries 10-9 in the quarters. A UK Open champion in 2021—when he beat Humphries 11-5—Wade had hoped for a repeat. In his *Daily Star* column pre-tournament, he wrote, “I love this format—no room to hide, just adapt to the draw. Top dogs like Littler, Humphries, and Van Gerwen feel the heat early with targets on their backs.”
He added, “As a three-time winner, I might slip under the radar, though some lower-ranked players could see me as a scalp. The bar’s so high now—there are no gimmes. Slack off, and you’re toast by the seaside. I’ve been grinding in practice, so if I clear that fourth-round hurdle where I enter, it could catapult me deep, like in 2021. That year, I scraped past Ryan Joyce 10-9, then grew stronger each round, topping Humphries in the final. I’d love that again—especially facing Luke.”
