Luke Littler produced a memorable performance to claim his first World Matchplay title with an 18-13 victory over James Wade in Blackpool. The 18-year-old became the youngest ever winner of the prestigious event, securing his place among darts royalty by completing the PDC triple crown having already won the World Championship and Premier League.
Littler’s triumph places him alongside Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries as the only players to have won the sport’s three major televised titles. His victory was all the more impressive given a difficult start, as he found himself 5-0 down early on. But showing resilience and maturity beyond his years, he stormed back into the contest by winning the next five legs to level the score.
The match was a high-quality affair, with Littler’s scoring power proving decisive. He hit 17 maximums to Wade’s six, finishing with an average of 107. His total of 64 180s across the tournament also set a new record, eclipsing the previous mark of 56 set by Adrian Lewis.
Wade, playing in his seventh Matchplay final and chasing his first title since 2007, was unable to maintain his early momentum. Although he managed to close the gap to 14-13 late in the match, Littler surged away by winning the last four legs. He sealed the title with a superb 115 checkout, comprising 20, 57, and double 19 – the highest finish of the final.
Reflecting on the achievement, Littler said the win “means absolutely everything” and acknowledged the significance of lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy. “I idolise Phil,” he said. “He’s come here 16 times and won it. Now my name is on this trophy – and I can say I’ve completed the triple crown.”
Having previously mounted a comeback in the semi-final against Josh Rock, Littler once again showed he thrives under pressure. “I’ve shown I can come back from 5-0 or 7-3 down,” he said. “I’m happy I can pull myself out of these scorelines, but I don’t want to be 5-0 down again.”
With this historic win, Littler cements his status as one of the sport’s brightest stars and looks ahead to chasing the remaining major titles in his dazzling career.
