Luke Littler is challenging himself to ‘win every tournament there is’ after securing glory at last weekend’s Grand Slam of Darts. The Nuke picked up his first major TV ranking title with an emphatic 16-3 triumph over Martin Lukeman in a one-sided final.
The 17-year-old will now switch his focus to the upcoming World Darts Championship, where he will be hoping to go one better than last year following his run to the final and eventual defeat at the hands of Luke Humphries.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Littler revealed that he was setting himself the ambitious target of winning every single tournament at least once.
« I’ve said it before, I want to win one of every tournament there is, » he said. « [I want to do] even bigger and better things and win multiple titles all across the country. »
Quizzed on his meteoric rise to sporting stardom over the last 12 months, Littler added: « It’s been an absolute whirlwind, all the opportunities I’ve got.
« Ever since the runner-up at the Worlds, I got the Premier League call-up and I went on to be the champion. I finally won my weekly night in Belfast and ever since then it’s been all joy. I’m enjoying myself. »
Only time will tell if Littler can achieve his goal of tasting glory at every single tournament before the end of his career. He could be about to secure the biggest one of all by winning the World Darts Championship after going so close last time around.
Wayne Mardle believes Littler will be the outright favourite to claim the honours at Alexandra Palace, with reigning champion Humphries no longer the man to beat.
Reflecting on the Grand Slam of Darts, Mardle said: « Coming into this, it was Luke Humphries, he’s the man to beat, he’s the one that they’ve all got to kind of get rid of and get out of the draw.
« Now it’s Luke Littler and if Littler or Humphries goes out early in the Worlds, the other one goes as the favourite immediately.
« The way that Luke Littler has played this week, he was playable. At times it was unplayable, especially with Martin Lukeman and against Jermaine Wattemina, but two players have had a right good go at trying to beat him and just failed.
« It’s not that they can’t beat Luke, it’s just the fact that he somehow finds a way to get over the line. In the long-format World Championship, he’s going to be difficult to beat, he really is, and the other players know that. »
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