How rising star Luke Littler has taken darts world by storm in 2024 after World Championship debut
The start of 2024 has been extraordinary for teenager Luke Littler, who has not only burst onto the world darts scene, but into mainstream national consciousness.
Littler, then 16, captured the public imagination with a stunning run at darts' biggest showpiece, the World Championship at Alexandra Palace, coming into the new year. Displaying stunning accuracy and maturity beyond his years and the public lapping up stories of his dramatic rise and his love of kebabs 'The Nuke' knocked out some of the sport's biggest names, including Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross, before the fairytale ended with final defeat to Luke Humphries.
The Warrington-based prodigy proved his Ally Pally heroics were no fluke as he claimed his first PDC title at the Bahrain Masters a few weeks later. He avenged his loss to Humphries, threw a nine-dart finish and powered past three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen in the final, all in the week he turned 17.
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The momentum continued in January as Littler reached the final of the Dutch Masters. This time Van Gerwen got the better of him but it was still another impressive showing from the teenager.
Littler's remarkable impact saw him handed a wildcard for this year's eight-player Premier League, a series of televised showcase events. Although he has not yet won, he has not disappointed and is third in the overall table after the first six match nights. He was beaten by Van Gerwen in a thrilling final of the Berlin event last month.
The 17-year-old's ascent continued as he won the opening Players Championship
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