Luke Littler began the defence of his PDC World Championship crown with a dominant 3-0 victory over Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas on Thursday night — but admitted the match felt far tighter than the scoreline showed.
The 18-year-old world No.1 was the main attraction on opening night at Alexandra Palace, and he delivered a strong performance despite some early nerves.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Littler told Sky Sports. “I’m happy with the win.”
Labanauskas, a former Ally Pally quarter-finalist ranked 95th in the world, proved a stubborn opening opponent. The 49-year-old stunned the crowd with a superb 130 bullseye finish and pushed both of the first two sets to deciding legs.
Littler eventually settled into his rhythm, producing back-to-back checkouts of 124 and 120 before sealing the match on double six without giving Labanauskas a chance.
“There were a few jitters at the start, but once you win a leg or a set, it calms you down,” he said. “That first set was crucial against the darts. Everyone just wants to get through their first-round match — it’s the toughest one, no matter who you play.”
The win sends Littler into round two, where he will face either Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde or Welsh qualifier David Davies.
Littler returns to the Palace as the youngest world champion in darts history after lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy in January, just days before turning 18. His meteoric rise has only continued since, adding the 2024 Premier League and World Matchplay titles to complete the sport’s coveted Triple Crown and elevate him to the top of the PDC rankings.
Smith also through
In the night’s other standout match, 2023 world champion Michael Smith eased past Women’s World Matchplay winner Lisa Ashton with a 3-0 win.
Ashton started brightly and claimed two of the first three legs, but Smith responded by rattling off seven legs in a row to progress comfortably.
“That first set was nerve-wracking,” Smith admitted to BBC Radio 5 Live. “As soon as I walked out, the crowd was on me.”
This year’s World Championship features an expanded 128-player field, with a record £1million awaiting the new champion on January 3.
