Luke Littler Lights Up Wollongong With Australian Darts Masters Victory

World champion Luke Littler demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent successful Wollongong by winning nan star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A twelvemonth aft being humbled successful nan last of nan biggest invitation arena to beryllium played successful Australia, nan 18-year-old this clip made nary mistake, winning each 3 of his matches convincingly connected Saturday nighttime to assistance yet different large title.

He besides crushed Damon Heta’s homecoming dream arsenic he hammered Australia’s apical player, nan world No 10, successful nan quarter-finals. After defeating Heta 6-3 successful nan past 8 and Stephen Bunting 7-4 successful nan semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike de Decker to triumph nan last 8-4.

In 2024, Littler had mislaid successful nan showdown 8-1 to erstwhile world champ Gerwyn Price, truthful was wished to put connected a show for his Australian fans connected his 2nd visit.

“It feels very good. It’s different 1 I tin tick off,” Littler said aft winning a World Series arena for nan first clip successful six attempts this year. “I played very good tonight. I didn’t play truthful good past nighttime successful nan first information but coming is erstwhile it really matters.

“It’s not gone to scheme this twelvemonth successful nan World Series but location are plentifulness of opportunities to triumph and I’ve yet picked 1 up,” added Littler, who’s been successful superlative shape successful different events, peculiarly pinch his victories successful nan Premier League and caller World Matchplay.

Now he’s aft a trans-Tasman double erstwhile he moves connected to nan New Zealand Darts Masters. “A fewer days disconnected and past Auckland, I can’t wait,” he said of adjacent weekend’s event.

The frightening point for his opponents is that Littler prevailed astatine nan WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever rather hitting his very champion form.

Perth ace Heta, who had held precocious hopes of toppling Littler aft averaging astir 110 successful his first-round lucifer connected Friday, conscionable couldn’t deed those heights again, and nan teen made him salary by reeling disconnected 3 consecutive legs from 3-3 to move into nan semis, including a 104 checkout successful nan penultimate game.

In nan semis, location was immoderate much magic from Littler arsenic he pulled disconnected nan biggest decorativeness of nan tournament, a maximum 170 “big fish” checkout connected nan measurement to beating Bunting.

In nan final, Littler was ever successful power erstwhile he produced 2 awesome legs, 1 featuring a 143 checkout and nan adjacent an 11-darter. It each near De Decker sighing pinch a rueful smile: “He needs to discontinue because it’s not nosy immoderate more.”