Luke Littler has the chance to cement his place among darts’ greats when he takes on Dutchman Gian van Veen in Saturday’s PDC World Championship final.
A win for Littler, who is still just 18 years old, would put him in a position to win multiple championships with a unique team of six players.
advertise
Phil Taylor’s record of 16 titles (two BDO titles and 14 PDC titles) remains a distant prospect at this stage, but the fact that it is even considered a possibility is significant.
Littler confidently defeated 20th seed Ryan Searle on Friday to reach his third world final in as many years at Alexandra Palace – surprising no one in the slightest.
Littler made a stunning run to the finals at the age of 16, and two years later he rocketed to world number one and dominated with a level of dominance previously achieved only by Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
“Obviously, in their prime, they were absolutely unbelievable. I watched it as a kid,” Littler said.
advertise
“With everything I’ve done, I can almost say I’ve played equally well, whether it’s titles, averages or the number of nine-darters on TV.
“Maybe if I get [another title on Saturday]then I might be in [the] same level. “
The concern for his opponents is that Littler is already the best player in the world and there are signs he has more potential.
“He just made it look easy,” former PDC professional Matt Edgar told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“[He has reached] Three World Championships, three World Championship finals – the danger is that he is getting better.
advertise
“It looks like he’s going through these games with ease and he’s leaving experienced pros aside.
“Ryan Sale is playing really well, but Luke Littler is just on a different level.”
“It’s all worth it” – Van Veen reaches the world finals
There is no doubt that Littler will dominate the darts world for years to come.
But who, if anyone, could stop him?
Luke Humphries is generally considered the most likely.
While the 2024 world champion is capable of reaching a level close to Littler’s, the teenager has come into his own recently, recording convincing wins at the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts finals.
advertise
So, maybe the man who beat Humphries so effectively in the quarter-finals of the World Championships?
Van Veen’s 5-1 victory was one not to be ignored, as he recorded a stunning victory over Gary Anderson in a classic semi-final.
The 23-year-old has never won a match in the tournament before at Alexandra Palace but has enjoyed a breakthrough year.
Van Veen is a two-time World Youth Championship winner, losing to Littler in the 2023 final and winning at the European Championships in October to claim his first major PDC title.
The confidence generated by this victory has further improved his game and he is now just one win away from becoming the third Dutchman to lift the West German Waddell Trophy.
advertise
Over the past few weeks, Van Veen has looked every bit the potential champion he is, consistently averaging over 100 points per game and finishing without fear on the biggest stages.
It was a far cry from his previous battle with dartitis – a condition that causes players to be unable to release darts.
“I remember three or four years ago I was at the Barnsley Met battling dartsitis and crying on the table,” van Veen told Sky Sports after beating Anderson.
“Now look at me four years later. It was all worth it. It was all worth it because here we are – it’s unbelievable.”
advertise
“What a journey he’s been on to accelerate to where he is, where he’s getting people’s attention, and then the question is, ‘Can he take those big steps?'” Edgar said.
“A few months ago the biggest moment of growth was winning the European Championship. That’s when we took notice and said this was a serious contender.”
If van Veen wins on Saturday, he will move up to second place in the PDC world rankings, and while he knows the magnitude of the challenge he faces, he is relishing it.
“Everyone has seen over the last few years what Luke is capable of,” he added.
“He’s doing a great job in this game and so am I. I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully it’s going to be a good game.”
advertise
With Littler only 18 and Van Veen just five years older, this has the potential to be a serious rivalry for years to come.
As Littler continues his march towards greatness, the sport of darts will surely benefit from the emergence of Littler’s true rivals.
Whether this is Van Veen or not, the performances he has shown so far are enough to raise hopes of a good final.