LITTLER HITS PERFECTION!
19/01/2024 By Phil Lanning
LUKE LITTLER’S sensational story continued as he became the youngest-ever player to hit a nine-darter in senior competition.
The Warrington wonderkid, two days before his 17th birthday, hit the perfect darts in the OPENING LEG of his quarter-final win over Nathan Aspinall in the Bahrain Masters last night.
Littler went 180, 180, treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 and went on to beat his stablemate Asp 6-3.
He became only the second player in World Series history to hit a perfect leg after Phil Taylor.
He said: “After I hit it Nathan said to me it’s only a hold of throw and I said ‘I know’. I’m just glad to win. I think I played really well there.
“It’s just good to get a nine-darter on TV and obviously the first one of the year goes to me!
On joining Taylor on the nine-dart roll of honour, he added: “Hopefully the list continues and I can hit a few more. I just take it game by game and if I do win I win. I don’t think about losing, I just think about winning.”
Peter Wright admitted he is inspired by Littler despite his miserable run of form continuing.
The Livingston-born ace was dumped out in the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Masters with a 6-1 defeat to Michael Smith.
Wright, 53, missed a hatful of checkouts at crucial times and was made to pay the price.
He said: “Michael checked out great. He obviously didn’t play anywhere like he can.
“I feel positive going forward. I can get better with these darts.
“I watched the World Championship after I got knocked out, and Luke Littler and Luke Humphries inspired me with what they did.
“Especially Luke Humphries with what he’s won over the last four months; it proves what you can do and achieve if you put the hard work in.
“Luke Littler is the best thing I’ve ever seen on TV! That’s why he has inspired me to get my finger out.
“I have got rid of all my trophies, got rid of all my darts, so I can start afresh. I want new trophies this year.
“Last year was terrible and the year before that was terrible, but I’m looking forward to playing this year.
“I took time off last year and it didn’t work, we saw that in the Premier League. This year I am hitting everything again.
“Fingers crossed my mindset is to use one set of darts. If I can manage that all year, I’ll be happy and I can be a big threat to everyone.”
Images by Taylor Lanning.
