Luke Littler broke down in tears on stage after a dramatic 3-1 victory over Ryan Meikle in the first round of the Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. The 17-year-old sensation struggled with his composure during a post-match interview with Sky Sports, cutting it short as he sought comfort from his mother Lisa at ringside.
Littler, who averaged an astonishing 140.91 in the fourth set, admitted it was the toughest game he had played. 'I started off dead slow,' he said, before being overcome with emotion as the crowd chanted 'There's only one Luke Littler'. After composing himself, he added: 'That was the worst game I have played. Maybe as nervy as I had in my first game of the Premier League.'
The match saw Littler produce a stunning finish, with legs of 11, 10 and 11 darts in the final set, narrowly missing a nine-dart finish when he wired double 12. Meikle, ranked 62nd in the world, pushed the teenage star hard, but Littler's brilliance ultimately proved decisive.
Littler's victory comes after a remarkable debut year on the PDC circuit, where he won 10 titles and over £1 million in prize money. He is now the 7-4 favourite to win the world title, having reached the final as a 16-year-old last year.
