‘It’s in my sight…’ – Luke Littler pinpoints key moment this year which could see him overtake Humphries as world No1

LUKE LITTLER is targeting a Christmas No.1 hit as he says he has developed a fear factor within the minds of his rivals.

The UK Open will sit proudly on the mantlepiece of the Littler family mansion after The Nuke thrashed James Wade 11-2 in the final on Sunday night.

PALuke Littler is chasing down world No.1 Luke Humphries[/caption]

GettyLittler, 18, won the UK Open over the weekend[/caption]

Wade, 41, had been the youngest winner of the UK Open, aged 25 in 2008, but that record has been taken by the 18-year-old phenom, who banked £110,000 for the result.

World No.1 Littler has a “free year” because on the world ranking list, players defend their performances from two years previously – and the reigning world champion was not a professional in 2023.

Luke Humphries is the world No.1 but has a lot of prize money to defend this autumn and should he bomb out early from the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, then his younger foe is ready to pounce.

Littler said: “At the World Championship, Luke Humphries will be defending a hell of a lot of money, and if he doesn’t defend it, that could be my chance to shoot up to No.1.

“Obviously if I play him in any of these ranking events, I want to stop him from adding to his prize money or defending it. I think No.1 is in sight now.

“It’s another free year. I’m not defending anything. I want to add on and add on prize money to become world No.1.

“When Luke went out, everyone probably thought, ‘Littler’s going to win it now’ but I still had a job to do. I had to keep concentrating.

“I had to beat Jonny (Clayton) in the semi-finals and putting those five legs together was important. Picking up this trophy means everything.”

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Littler’s success at Butlin’s Minehead resort represented his 12th PDC title – and fifth major crown – and saw him nudge £1.25million in prize money in 14 months.

Given how well he played over the three days, nobody would have wanted to face him in the open draw of the FA Cup of Darts and the Warrington sensation senses that everyone is keen to avoid him right now.

Littler, who plays Chris Dobey in Brighton in Thursday’s Premier League, said: “I can feel the players around me (in the rankings) don’t want to draw me – and I’ll play anyone.

“Doesn’t matter who it is. I think I have played near enough everyone on Tour. Players will bring their A game against me.

“Everyone knows I want to win every major at least once, so that’s another one ticked off my list. That’s my main goal.

“This is the third time of asking that I’ve ticked it off. I’m very happy with the way I played through the whole weekend.

“People might look at my A game now as being 105 or 106. Maybe my B game is just under 100.

“The way I have played this weekend has been unbelievable, if I can hit my doubles quicker, it would be much higher.

“Am I surprising myself? Yes, I’m still gaining experience on stage – I played in everything last year.

“It’s only my second year properly on the Tour and sometimes I do surprise myself the way I go for finishes but that comes down to confidence.

“Once you win one title, you’re hungry for even more, you want to win everything.”

Littler has been snubbed by the Laureus World Sports Awards 2025, which will take place next month in Madrid.

Judges decided not to shortlist him for the World Sportsman of the Year award and left him off the World Breakthrough of the Year accolade.

For the latter category, the six nominees include St Lucian sprinter Julien Alfred, the Bayer Leverkusen football side, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh, Botswana’s Olympic 200 metres champion Letsile Tebogo, French basketball star Victor Wembanyama and Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal.

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