Teenage Sensation Littler Confirms World Number One Status With Grand Slam Victory
Luke Littler, the teenage darts phenomenon, cemented his place at the pinnacle of the sport by successfully defending his Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton on Sunday 16 November 2025. The 18-year-old's remarkable ascent to world number one was officially confirmed earlier in the day with his semi-final victory over Danny Noppert, setting the stage for a blockbuster final against his great rival, Luke Humphries.
A Titanic Final and a Place in History
In a display of sheer dominance, Littler powered to a 16-11 triumph over Humphries, the very man he deposed at the top of the rankings. This victory made him only the fourth man in history to defend the title in Wolverhampton, underlining his incredible consistency and talent. The final was another epic chapter in their fierce rivalry, representing their fourth major final clash of the year.
The match turned decisively in Littler's favour with a breathtaking passage of play where he checked out a 167 to level the score at 8-8, immediately followed by a stunning 160 checkout to take an 11-9 lead. The audacity of these shots left Humphries mock-punching his World Cup team-mate in disbelief as they left the stage for a break. From that point, the teenager did not look back, racing to his fifth major title of the year.
The Journey to the Top
Littler's position as the best player in the world has seemed inevitable since his record-breaking run to the final of the 2024 World Championship, which catapulted him to global stardom. He became the youngest world champion ever a year later and has since transcended the sport. By reaching the summit, he broke the record of Michael van Gerwen, who was 24 when he first became world number one in 2014.
Speaking after his semi-final win, an elated Littler said, "It's not even been two years, I have not even spent two years on tour and I am already world number one. That is job done, now I am world number one, but I have got a bigger match tonight. I am the best in the world." After clinching the title, he acknowledged the competitive nature of his rivalry with Humphries, adding, "No-one, me, Luke, we're never ever going to run away with anything. It's always going to be close."
Their rivalry is now compared to the great duels in other sports, such as Carlos Alcaraz versus Jannik Sinner in tennis or Scottie Scheffler against Rory McIlroy in golf, as they sit clearly ahead of their peers.
The Battle for Number One Continues
For Humphries, who beat Gerwyn Price to reach the final, the fight is not over. The 30-year-old confirmed that the battle for the top ranking will intensify at the upcoming World Championship. "This is the last day as number one I've been so happy and proud of myself," Humphries stated in his on-stage interview. "When it gets to the Worlds, I've got one opportunity to take it back from him. I'll be fighting hard, it's a war now!" He can reclaim the number one spot if he wins the tournament and Littler suffers an early exit when the competition begins next month.
