Luke Littler: Teenager has to live with ridiculous level of pressure at World Darts Championship
Darts legend John Part believes that teen Luke Littler is under "absurd" amounts of stress as he seeks to claim his first World Darts Championship title at Alexandra Palace.
Littler nearly achieved a nine-dart finish, missing it by just a few millimeters, as he secured a stunning victory over Ryan Meikle on Saturday night, setting a new record in the process.
The 17-year-old returned to the main stage a year after his impressive journey to the finals and demonstrated once again why he is considered the top contender for this year's title.
Littler was on the verge of achieving greatness when he narrowly missed a chance at double 12, but he still delivered an impressive average of 140.91 in the final set to secure a 3-1 victory.
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This sets the record for the highest average in a single set at the world championship, as the Warrington star keeps pushing the limits.
The victory was deeply moving for Littler, who had to pause his onstage interview when he was overcome with emotion and started to cry.
"I don't believe anyone fully grasps the level of pressure he's under," Part said to Sky Sports. "There may be some former players who can relate, but nobody has faced that kind of scrutiny at such a young age."
The sheer volume of demands on his time and the pressure to always deliver must be really stressful for him. I can imagine he feels a great sense of relief.
I bet he's feeling let down about not getting a nine-darter, but I believe that it doesn't really connect to how things ended. Overall, it seems pretty good to me.
"There’s a lot of emotion stored inside you, and managing that during gameplay is essential. That’s part of what makes him successful. If he feels the need to take some time for himself afterward, that’s perfectly okay."
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Littler entered the tournament as the top figure in the sport, and 'The Nuke' secured his place back at Ally Pally after Christmas, where he'll face either Ritchie Edhouse or Ian White in the third round.
“He's been enjoying himself, likely visiting new locations, participating in tournaments he hasn't experienced before, and winning many of them while playing numerous matches,” Part said. “If you're a fan of darts, then competing frequently is really enjoyable.”
He’s really enjoyed himself, but I believe the full impact of his contributions to the game, which began during last year’s World Championship, finally hit him after his victory.
"It's a relief that it happened following a win; it just wouldn't feel right otherwise, considering all he has contributed to the sport."
While watching Luke, it struck me that his past match experiences from last year may not benefit him at all. I believe he's evolved into an entirely new player. He has new expectations for himself and anticipates different strategies from his opponents.
Last year, things felt a bit uncomfortable when he was playing at just 16 years old, and other players weren't quite sure how to handle that. There were thoughts like, 'Will I be humiliated if I lose to him?'—some pretty traditional views. But this year is different; he's now the top contender in the tournament.
Many people see him as the darts superstar they've been eagerly anticipating. That's a considerable amount of pressure for him. I believe this was just the beginning of discovering what his true professional career at the world championships will be like.
"The standards people expect from him and the immense pressure he'll face will always be there. He'll feel it each time he steps onto the field, but I'm confident he'll adapt to it over time."
Catch The World Darts Championship On Sky!
Catch all the excitement of the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, broadcasting on Sky Sports Darts. Luke Humphries will be defending his title against tough competitors like Littler, Michael van Gerwen, and Gary Anderson, all aiming to take home the Sid Waddell Trophy. Don't miss out on the highlights right here!
Who will take home the title at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Catch every match live until January 3 on Sky Sports' specialized darts channel. You can also stream darts and other top sporting events with NOW.
