darts
Pub, Taylor, future: Five darts facts about Luke Littler
World Cup final on his World Cup debut: 16-year-old Luke Littler celebrates a victory. photo
© Zac Goodwin/PA Wire/dpa
He is on the way to a real sports fairy tale: Luke Litter shines and amazes at the Darts World Cup. On Wednesday he can become one of the greats.
In the victories over the Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld (Netherlands) and Rob Cross (England), “The Nuke” (the atomic bomb) has already eliminated two former world champions from the tournament. Littler has six confident victories behind him and is the best player of the tournament so far. What do you need to know about the teen sensation at Alexandra Palace?
Bar
At the age of eight or nine, Littler regularly found his way to the pub with his father and threw darts. Four years ago, at a pub challenge, there was also a meeting with the man against whom Littler is playing on Wednesday for 500,000 pounds (almost 600,000 euros) and the huge Sid Waddell Trophy: Luke Humphries, who is now 28 and will be the winner in 2023 Was by far the best player in the darts scene.
Phil Taylor
At 63 years old and having won 16 world titles, Phil Taylor is no longer active. However, he advises compatriot Littler. “He’s the best teenager I’ve ever seen in my life,” said “The Power,” as Taylor is known, with appreciation. Taylor’s then long-term rival van Barneveld defeated the super talent in the round of 16 without any effort.
Future
If he beat Humphries, Littler would immediately move up to ninth place in the world rankings. During the evaluation period (the past two years) he did not have a tour card to take part in major tournaments. Participation in the highly prized and prestigious Premier League would then probably be a formality.
Comparison with Messi
Littler’s run came as a surprise, but the experts were quickly impressed. After his first World Cup game, expert Wayne Mardle drew parallels to the Argentine Lionel Messi and the lightness that the football superstar exuded at a young age.
Start with diapers
Littler is said to have thrown his first magnetic darts when he was just 18 months old – in diapers. Last week he shared a video on