Luke Littler, a 17-year-old darts player, won his first Premier League Darts night with a 6-4 victory over Nathan Aspinall in Belfast. Littler, who was the runner-up to fellow Brit Luke Humphries in the World Darts Championship on his debut, has been steadily rising in prominence in the sport. He reached the final in week two in Berlin but lost to Michael van Gerwen, with three quarter-final defeats following in the opening eight weeks.
However, Littler’s win over Aspinall leaves him second in the eight-player Premier League Darts table with the top four going through to the play-offs on 23 May at London’s O2 Arena. Since his loss in January’s World final, Littler has since won the Bahrain Masters and the Players Championship One event, showcasing his continued growth in the sport.
The Stockport-born Aspinall, who won night five in Exeter, was in his fourth final of the year, but was unable to overcome Littler. Littler started the final with a 136 checkout in the opening leg. He broke Aspinall again in leg eight, but Aspinall broke straight back and a decider seemed likely. Littler missed match darts in the 10th leg, but he was able to return and secure the win after Aspinall failed to take out 113.
Notably, Littler has changed his throw over the past few weeks, pausing before releasing, which has shown immense courage on the biggest stage. However, it has been paying dividends for the teenager as he has looked more and more relaxed each week. Littler’s record against Van Gerwen, who has won the Premier League a record seven times, is 3-3; the Warrington-born youngster has consistently showcased his ability to defeat some of the best players in the world.
Littler’s progress has been remarkable, and he is already beating some of the best players in the world despite his young age. He has demonstrated his immense potential and will surely go on to become an even bigger name in the sport
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