Luke Littler: Teenage darts sensation hits nine-darter on way to beating Michael van Gerwen to win Bahrain Masters | Darts News | Sky Sports

Luke Littler won his first senior PDC title by beating Michael van Gerwen 8-5 to win the Bahrain Darts Masters final – having hit a historic nine-darter earlier in the tournament.

It was the kind of composed display we have come to expect from 16-year-old Littler as he remained calm to see off the challenge of three-time world champion Van Gerwen.

The darts all went with throw for the first seven legs but Littler was the aggressor, not folding to any MVG pressure before nailing an 11-dart leg for the lead.

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Littler then broke Van Gerwen’s throw to take his advantage to 5-3 but the Dutchman broke straight back, taking out 105 on tops.

Van Gerwen continued to come back at Littler, but the teenager found another break of throw on D10 to go one leg away before pinning tops for 58 to seal a historic victory.

Following his victory, Littler admitted this tournament was the first time he had thrown a dart since his defeat to Luke Humphries in the World Darts Championship final earlier this month.

“No one probably believes me, but I’ve not thrown a dart since the world final [earlier this month],” Littler told ITV Sport.

“Yesterday was the first proper practice I’ve put in, but it’s all paid off.

“I’m just happy to win and obviously against Michael. He’s still one of the very best and I’m just happy to win on my debut.

“It’s been unbelievable this week. We’ve got us eight in the Premier League and the eight Asian qualifiers (playing in this tournament), but I’m happy to come out the winner.

“I’ve not really set any goals for this year. I didn’t even expect to pick this trophy up this week.

“It’s been good to come here with great people, a great crowd once again on my side, but I’m just happy.

“There’s no goals for this year, I just need to see what my darts do.”

Van Gerwen admitted it was a tough loss against Littler but warned against making him “bigger” than needed with the hype already surrounding him.

“It has been a fantastic tournament – of course I am disappointed but that is how sports work; you win some, you lose some,” said Van Gerwen.

“It is never going to be a good week when Michael is not winning, simple as that. [Littler] has had a fantastic tournament as well – everyone says he is a new kid, but everyone knows what he is capable of.

“I couldn’t produce what I was doing in the early games [in the final]. You can only punish yourself for that. You have to make sure you get better for the next one. I’ll get him, don’t worry.”

Littler makes history with nine-darter against Aspinall

Prior to his win, Littler hit an incredible opening leg nine-darter in his quarter-final victory over defending World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall.

Littler needed just three visits to win the leg as he hit two 180s and then produced a 141 checkout with a double 12 finish to become the youngest player to hit a televised nine-darter.

It was also only the second nine-darter to ever be thrown in the World Series, with the first coming from 16-time world champion Phil Taylor.

That saw him set up a meeting with former world champion Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals which looked a close one, each holding their throw under pressure.

The pivotal moment came when Littler broke the throw in the sixth leg to take a 4-2 leg, taking out a maximum then reeling in the Big Fish.

Littler then showed his class once again to take out a 103 checkout to hold and then finish off 89 on the bullseye for the break of throw and put himself one leg away.

Price clawed back one of the breaks of throw with a brilliant 146 finish to bring the tie to 6-3 but Littler stayed calm and broke straight back to secure his spot in the final on tops.

‘Littler is the real deal and wonderful for darts’

Sky Sports Michael Bridge said:

“It is absolutely unbelievable. He is 17 in two days, he has hit a nine-darter. He beat Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price, then beats Michael van Gerwen in the final. Littler-mania is still running wild.

“We are going to see him February 1 in the Premier League in Cardiff. If there was any doubt about putting this guy in the Premier League it is over. He is the real deal.

“When the names were announced, there were a couple saying he isn’t ready. He is ready.

“He is a sensational player. He has not come out of nowhere, he was hitting nine-darters in junior tournaments at 13 and 14 years of age.

“It is a phenomonal achievement, it is a wonderful story, and it is just wonderful for darts.

Webster: Littler’s going to lift many titles

Sky Sports Darts’ Mark Webster believes it was a “deserved” victory for Littler and we are just seeing the start of what is going to be a glittering career for such an “ambitious” youngster.

“He [Littler] deserved to win the title,” Webster told ITV Sport.

“Michael van Gerwen will be disappointed and under-performed in the final. Littler could’ve won it by a bigger margin in the end but it’s another great weekend for him. He’s just taken it all in his path.

“He [Van Gerwen] didn’t look settled in that final, a flat performance, he wasn’t ‘at it’ and Littler was the better player.

“I don’t think anything is going to affect him [Littler]. He’s headstrong for a 16-year-old. He’s ambitious – he’s already won a senior title and there’s so many more to come.”

“The way he’s playing he’s going to lift many a title.”

What else happened on finals night in Bahrain?

Van Gerwen booked his spot in the final against Littler by beating Rob Cross 6-4 in the quarter-finals before defeating Michael Smith in a last-leg decider 6-5 in the semi-finals.

Cross barely put a foot wrong against the Green Machine, hitting all his doubles, but Van Gerwen proved too strong as he hit heights of averaging over 107.

For Smith, it was a tale of missed opportunities as he failed to pounce on missed doubles by MVG and the Dutchman then delivered when it mattered, taking out 110 against the throw in the deciding leg to face Littler.

Luke Humphries’ 20-game winning streak also came to an end in the quarter-finals as Price defeated the world champion 6-4, while Smith took the spoils in a 6-1 routing of Peter Wright, with Snakebite unable to hold his throw throughout the contest.

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