LITTLER BREAKS NEW GROUND AT WORLD MASTERS

LUKE LITTLER revealed the preparation of a champion includes watching Man Utd before returning to the oche.

World No.1 Littler battered Josh Rock 4-0 to reach the semi-final of the World Masters for the first time.

‘The Nuke’ averaged a whopping 105.92 and dropped just ONE leg in a dominant display to wrap the match in barely 12 minutes. 

Littler admitted the triumph felt even sweeter after falling at the same stage last year. 

He said: “This is where I fell last year in the quarter-final, so it is always good to get that extra win and guarantee my place in the semi-final.” 

Despite the emphatic scoreline, Littler insisted the contest was far from straightforward. 

He added: “No, it definitely wasn’t easy. Josh did not play to his best, but there is no reason for me not to play at my best. I threw everything at him.” 

Littler also brushed off outside perceptions of his dominance, stressing how different things feel once you step on stage. 

He continued: “That is obviously the way people see it. On stage it is different every day. Every match is different.” 

But once the darts were put away, Littler revealed his focus would switch to football as part of his wind-down routine.

He said: “Hopefully watch Man Utd, and I hope we are still 1-0 up. I will watch the rest of that and then chill out.” 

The teenage sensation is dreaming of his own nine-darter in Milton Keynes after watching rival Luke Humphries strike perfection. 

He said: “I was signing dartboards and I heard back-to-back 180s. Then I rushed over to watch it. 

“As a player, I can feel it is there. I just need to get that sixth dart in and have a crack at the 141.” 

The Warrington whizkid will now face Gerwyn Price in the semi-final and knows he will need to be at his best. 

He said: “Hopefully me and Gezzy tonight will have a cracking game. 

“Me and Gezzy always throw everything at each other, so we should have a great game tonight.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.