World Darts Championship final updates: Luke Littler demolishes Michael van Gerwen to win first world title
The 17-year-old Littler brilliantly beat Van Gerwen 7-3 with an average of almost 103 as he went one better than 12 months ago
Luke Littler became the youngest ever world champion of darts with a brilliant display in the final at Alexandra Palace, blowing away three-time winner Michael van Gerwen to win 7-3.
Littler, 17, was beaten by world No 1 Luke Humphries in last year’s final, but he returned to the same stage 12 months later and made no mistake this time, overwhelming his esteemed opponent with peerless finishing to race into a 4-0 lead.
Van Gerwen appeared nervous in the opening forays and struggled to settle, competing gamely with his three-dart scoring but missing an array of doubles to give up winning positions. The Dutchman battled back in the latter stages but it was too little, too late, as the teenage superstar from Warrington cemented his name among the greats of the sport – and began what many believe will be a new era of dominance.
Follow all the reaction from Luke Littler’s victory at the World Darts Championship below.
Littler 6-2 van Gerwen - Littler wins eighth set!
We could be just a few minutes away from seeing Littler crowned champion, though van Gerwen does start with the throw in this upcoming set.
In terms of stats, of the 37 attempts that Littler has had at a winning double, he’s hit 21 of them (or 56.76 per cent).
Littler 6-2 van Gerwen - Littler wins eighth set!
A 112.16 average for Littler after his first visit of the third leg, but van Gerwen makes some ground with a 180. 89 leaves him needing 92, with Littler needing 64 – but he misses the double 18!
And Littler lands tops to take himself to within one set of the title!
Littler vs van Gerwen - 5-2 (2-0)
124 to open the next set for Littler, who has the throw. He follows up with 140 and 97, leaving himself needing 130. He’s in control, but misses the bull to leave 25.
A five and a double 10 up next? He finds them both to hold and take the first leg.
Van Gerwen takes it down to 128 needed – but he can’t get it, taking 44, and Littler completes an 11-darter to go 2-0 up!
Van Gerwen is clinging on
Van Gerwen has lifted his game since the break and certainly upped his finishing rate, which couldn’t have got much worse in truth. He’s now taking 11 from 35 double attempts, having been down at just two from 18 at one point.
We have a match on here and the next set, with Littler to throw first, feels absolutely pivotal to the destiny of the 2025 world title.
Littler 5-2 van Gerwen - van Gerwen wins seventh set!
Van Gerwen takes the next leg, holding throw with a double 14, but Littler also holds after checking out on 124 to level the set.
In the third, Littler takes a 180 on his second visit, but with van Gerwen needing 81, is it enough?
It isn’t, as the Dutchman checks out for a 12-dart leg.
It’s Littler’s throw next, so will we see a decider? He lands top to take it!
It’s MVG’s throw though, and he starts with a 180 – promising, but Littler replies with a maximum of his own to put the pressure on.
Van Gerwen needs tops to take the set – and he nails it, so we’re at 5-2!
Littler 5-1 van Gerwen -Littler wins the sixth set!
Another 180 to start for Littler, but the nine-darter goes with his next throw. He whittles down the score to need 87, and checks out after finding double 10.
One more leg for the set – he’s averaging 113.
He gets from 227 to 127, but leaves himself needing 42 – and van Gerwen punishes him, forcing a decider by finding double 16.
Littler begins the next leg with a maximum, and follows with 100.
The 17-year-old needs 128, with MVG needing 185...
Littler knows he has time, so he takes it down to 35, waits for van Gerwen to visit and lands his trusty double 10 to take the sixth set!
Littler vs van Gerwen - 4-1 (1-1)
Littler begins with a 180, and straight away he lands another, to the delight of the Ally Pally crowd – but the next dart hits treble one.
72 needed, but he only takes 32 – no matter as he’s over 200 clear of van Gerwen, and he holds throw by landing double 16.
Next leg, and it MVG’s turn for a 180, but an 80 afterwards leaves him needing 157, while Littler needs the big fish.
Van Gerwen takes 91, Littler takes 64...and the Englishman misses tops to break!
The Dutchman saves himself with double one.
Littler 4-1 van Gerwen - Van Gerwen wins the fifth set!
Littler takes himself down to the 170, but settles needing 36.
And van Gerwen is on the board after breaking the throw in a pretty impressive manner, checking out on 132 and finishing with a bullseye!
The Dutchman has a way back into it.
Littler vs van Gerwen - 4-0 (1-2)
It’s van Gerwen to open this set, and both lands early 180s. The Dutchman pulls ahead and both miss their respective checkouts, before MVG then takes the first leg with a double 10, checking out on 53.
Littler whittles the second leg down to 130, and nails tops to level the set. Simple stuff to hold. 98.63 average for the youngster at the moment.
Littler then lands 180 to leave himself needing 164, with van Gerwen needing 80 – he gets it, finishing on double 10, so both players have held so far.
Littler ruthlessly routing Van Gerwen
This is a complete demolition of Van Gerwen by Littler and is turning into a rout. MvG’s doubling has been nowhere near good enough at a paltry 18% and Littler has picked his moments to ruthlessly expose the Dutchman.
The leg count now stands at 12-3 in Littler’s favour and he had Van Gerwen literally scratching his head at points in that fourth set. Of course last year, Littler led Luke Humphries 4-2 in the final and missed a dart at double two to move 5-2 ahead before losing 7-4.
It’s hard to see any sort of similar collapse from here - in fact, the question has to be whether MvG an even get a set on the board...? 7-0 seems far-fetched but...
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