Sport Darts World Cup
Luke Littler’s striking parallel to the 2013 final
As of: 6:06 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Thrilling final against Littler – Humphries is crowned world champion
Luke Humphries stopped 16-year-old Luke Littler’s sensational run in the World Cup final and was crowned world champion for the first time. In a thrilling duel, “Cool Hand Luke” particularly impressed with his excellent scoring.
Luke Littler’s debut at the World Darts Championship turned into a fairy tale. Even in the final, the 16-year-old looked like the winner for a long time. The fact that a small mistake in the seventh set possibly cost him the title could also mean a prophecy for 2025. The reason is the 2013 final.
Luke Humphries only allowed himself a few quick words about the biggest success of his career, then turned to opponent Luke Littler: “I’m not just saying this out of politeness: he’s just such an incredible player. He’ll win this several more times, I’m quite sure of that,” predicted the new world champion after his 7:4 triumph in the final.
A prophecy that is by no means exclusive to Humphries. After Littler’s famous and record-studded World Cup debut, everyone agrees that they have witnessed the birth of a new superstar in the last few weeks of the World Cup. The 16-year-old stormed through the tournament table too good, too talented and above all far too confident. In his six wins, he had knocked three former world champions out of the World Cup: Christian Kist, Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross, and was the youngest player in history to reach the final with a set record of 25:6.
also read
The first comparisons with Michael van Gerwen were made years ago. The tenor: The exceptional English talent is better than the world-class player from the Netherlands in his youth: “A lot of people tell me that,” confirmed Littler after his first round victory on December 20th: “I can’t agree with them, but I can’t disagree with them either. I know what Michael achieved at a young age – and what I achieved at my age.” At that time, in addition to numerous successes in the youth sector, it was pretty much a World Cup match he won; he had entered the tournament as number 164, and now is He is 31st in the Order of Merit and a World Cup finalist. At the age of 16.
Littler missed the 5-2 preliminary decision
Barneveld named him “Prince of the Palace” in the direct clash in the round of 16, and the fact that he didn’t take the crown in the end was probably due to a single mistake. After a 1-2 set deficit against Humphries, Littler won rounds four, five and six and came to the oche in the decider of the seventh set with 112 points remaining. Littler hit the triple 18 as desired, had 58 points and was aiming for 18. Instead of facing double 20, he got the triple again and now needed double 2 to make the preliminary decision perfect.
also read
The youngster narrowly missed, while Humphries then hit double 14: 3:4 instead of 2:5 – a big point that was supposed to mean a turnaround. “The 5:2 would have been a really difficult challenge for me,” Humphries later admitted.
The first time: Luke Humphries also wins the World Cup after the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals
Source: dpa/Zac Goodwin
That doesn’t even exist, some of the ever-increasing number of Littler fans may have thought. The number of his Instagram followers increased from 4,000 at the start of the World Cup to now more than three quarters of a million. But yes, there is – and has even existed before – which could give a real point to the comparisons with van Gerwen that continued during Littler’s first year on the professional tour.
It was eleven years ago when van Gerwen played his first World Cup final. “MVG” met legend Phil Taylor in the final and was ahead 4:2 against the 15-time world champion, had set darts to make it 5:2, but gave up the set and ended up losing 4:7. Just as bitter, but for Littler the story could also give consolation and hope after the lost final.
Exactly one year later, van Gerwen became the youngest world champion in darts history with a 7:4 win against Peter Wright. Will history repeat itself in 2025? Humphries’ words after the final sounded like a prophecy: “I had in the back of my mind that I had better get the title today because it will soon dominate the darts world.” Maybe at the next World Cup.
