Luke Littler produced a stunning performance to reclaim the PDC World Darts Championship title, defeating Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final at Alexandra Palace. The 18-year-old won 21 of the last 24 legs, leaving van Veen unable to mount a serious challenge.
Littler broke down in tears after hitting the winning double, leaning on the drinks table and covering his face with his hands. 'I wasn't happy going into the break 1-0 down, but I started playing a bit better from there,' he said. 'I said to myself: give it time, you'll find it, and it all went to plan.'
Van Veen, despite averaging a figure that would have won three finals since 2015, struggled to keep pace. 'The scoring maybe wasn't my best game of the tournament,' he admitted. 'Luke wasn't in the mood to give me any more chances. He played phenomenally; he put me under pressure every leg.'
The victory sees Littler become the first player to win £1 million in a single world championship, doubling his prize money from round one. 'It's life-changing for everyone,' he noted, adding that the win also extended his lead at the top of the world rankings over Luke Humphries.
Reflecting on the rivalry with van Veen, Littler said: 'We're always gonna have battles – on the pro tour, Euro tour, majors – and who knows, we might be back here in the final next year.' He also paid tribute to retiring MC John McDonald and referee George Noble, as well as the late friends of Anthony Joshua, quoting the boxer: 'The first time was so nice, I had to do it twice.'
Van Veen, now world number three and Dutch number one, remained philosophical. 'I'm very proud to have reached the final, but obviously I'm disappointed. Hopefully 2026 will be a fantastic year. The young boys are here – we're here to show how it's done.'
