LITTLER BELIEVES HE CAN WIN WORLDS
02/01/2024 By Phil Lanning
LUKE LITTLER now believes he can win the £500,000 top prize at the PDC World Championship tomorrow night.
The 16-year-old sensation smashed Fermanagh man Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-finals and is now hot favourite to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.
Littler goes into tonight’s semi with 2018 champ Rob Cross as the man to beat after Michael van Gerwen’s shock defeat by Scott Williams last night.
Luke ‘The Nuke’, who has earned £100,000 so far, said: “It’ll take a lot to beat me. I know I have got the ability to go all the way. I know I have a good chance.
“I have got a good feeling that I can go all the way now. It’s whatever Luke Littler turns up.
“If I keep it up, I have a good chance. I’m only two games away. I’m thinking about the title.
“This is the first time I have thought about it. It’s unbelievable. Rob is another person in the way.
“Obviously he won it on his debut – now I have my hopes of winning on my debut as well.
“This is unbelievable. I’ve felt confident ever since the opening game with Christian Kist. I don’t want to jinx it but every game I have played I have gone one or two sets up.”
Littler watched Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve in Spurs star James Maddison’s private box and the pair practised throwing darts together.
Manchester United fan Littler said: “He’s still injured. It was good to meet him, get some pictures and meet his family.
“People come up to me. I don’t even know who they are. They know me. It’s a good feeling. I will always take pictures with anyone.”
But Littler reckons darts bosses will not select him for the Premier League – because he is not ready for the “brutal” schedule.
PDC chiefs reveal on Thursday the eight players for the weekly invitational tournament, played over 17 weeks in multiple countries, with a top prize of £275,000.
The world’s top four ranked stars are joined by wildcards based on profile, popularity and commercial drive.
But Littler, who turns 17 this month, said: “I think the PDC are going to keep me out of it.
“That would be just brutal like everyone has said.
“Look at what the other pros have done this year. This is my first Major. They deserve it more than me.”
Images by Taylor Lanning.
