LITTLER OPENS UP ON HIS TOUGHEST MATCH

By Aaron Nijjar 

LUKE LITTLER has revealed his toughest match ever as he reflected how nerves nearly got the better of him on stage.  

The teenage sensation is the youngest ever World Champion having won the tournament at just 17 and is also the current Premier League title holder. 

Speaking on the Tops and Tales Darts Podcast with Huw Ware, Littler detailed the overwhelming pressure he felt during his 2025 second round World Championship match with Ryan Meikle.  

World No.2 Littler admitted: “As soon as I got on stage, nerves just hit me. Then I’m thinking to myself, get off that stage before it goes two all. Then that’s when I hit the record-breaking set. 

“I remember standing at the side waiting for Ryan to walk on. I was fine doing my walk-on, loved it, seeing my friends and family. But then I just stepped on that stage and I was like, wow, I can just feel in my body you don’t want to be here.  

“But obviously, like you said, that’s where it all started for me. So I thought to myself, I’m going to walk into this game, I’m going to be totally fine. But it weren’t the case. But that’s probably one of the biggest games I’ve won.” 

Littler ended up hitting a tournament record 140.91 set average against Meakle and won the match 3-1. 

‘The Nuke’ also revealed he cannot see himself playing darts until he is fifty, however the Warrington thrower is determined to leave his mark on the sport by winning every Major at least once.

Although, he remains unsure whether he will be able to emulate Phil Taylor’s record of 16 World Championships. 

He said: “I can’t really comment on the Phil Taylor thing because me and Michael [van Gerwen] said in a different interview, once the fire goes out of your belly, there’s just no point in playing.  

“So, if I say I’m going to continue playing darts for 30 years, wake up tomorrow morning, the fire’s gone out my belly. I’ll want to retire. So, I can’t really achieve it.

“Probably not at 50. It’s just the way the sport’s going. It’s just growing, and growing. But yeah, obviously the one thing I do want to do, and I’ve said it numerous times, is win one.” 

He added: “Every Major once, get them on the bucket list. Obviously, I’ve won a Pro Tour, a Euro Tour, the Premier League. Obviously, I’ve won the biggest one – the World Championships. I’ve won the World Series and the Grand Slam. So, there’s not much, there’s not a lot for me to do now. And then I’ve ticked it all off.” 

Away from the competitive stage, the reigning World Champion is also considering new ventures, including creating a YouTube Channel.

He said: “Yeah, I think it’s one for the future. Yeah, definitely one for the future, but at the minute, it’s just a case of just chilling out, seeing the year through. And then, yeah, there’s loads of ideas for YouTube, like Day in the Life of Luke Littler. 

“Obviously, filming darts, could obviously play against loads of fans on Target Darts counter.” 

Image by Taylor Lanning.