“Luke Littler is so good – he’ll retain his World Championship title,” predicts Sky Sports activities’ Wayne Mardle, whereas Mark Webster feels {the teenager} is “ticking packing containers”.
Littler has his sights set on changing into the primary particular person in a decade to efficiently defend the title.
The Warrington slinger grew to become the youngest world champion when he beat Michael van Gerwen within the 2025 remaining and his star has solely risen since.
The 18-year-old has received 5 main titles since then, together with the Gamers Championship final weekend, and has overtaken Luke Humphries to take a seat on the prime of the rankings.
He’s the heavy favorite to win a second successive crown at Alexandra Palace and can start in opposition to Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas on December 11.
Luke Littler discusses his opening spherical draw in opposition to Darius Labanauskas on the World Championship
Solely Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson have ever defended their title at Ally Pally, with the Scot successful in 2015 and 2016.
“Littler is unscarred,” Mardle instructed Sky Sports activities’ reporter Michael Bridge. “He is the freest darts participant on this planet mentally. There is no such thing as a negatives in any respect. There’s none of this, ‘I’ve tried to win the Worlds earlier than and it did not work out for me’. He is going into every little thing recent and with readability of thoughts figuring out that he can do no matter he likes.
“He does what he likes. I am not saying he is at all times proper. He is leaving double 15 on goal after which splitting it. That is not good board administration – that is poor – however he will get away with it as a result of he’s so good.
“If you end up so good, individuals will at all times give it, ‘yeah, however he is so good’. Phil Taylor would go away 162, 163, 169, then win the leg, win the set, win the world championship.
“Michael van Gerwen would hit a 180 to depart double one – ‘Yeah, however he can do what he likes as a result of he is so good!’
Former Lakeside champion Mark Webster stated: “Luke Littler stated it himself. For him to not win that event he has to have an off-day and he isn’t having a lot of them on the minute. He is brimming with confidence. He is ticking packing containers by successful tournaments. The world championship is simply one other event for him to win.
“There’s all of the glamour across the million pound prize however he simply needs to win one other event.”
Luke Humphries says his arch-rival Littler is in a league of his personal
Mardle added: “I believe will probably be a Luke-Luke remaining. I’ve already predicted it. I believe he [Littler] will retain it. I believe Luke and Luke are head and shoulders. Littler underneath strain in set play has already proven what he can do within the World Grand Prix Remaining – each huge leg, he received!”
One of many standout ties of the primary spherical sees three-time ladies’s world champion Beau Greaves tackle World Cup winner Daryl Gurney.
Greaves – who dominated the ladies’s sequence in 2025, choosing up 86 consecutive wins and 13 titles in a row – gave Van Gerwen and Anderson a run for his or her cash within the current Grand Slam of Darts and can present a take a look at for the Northern Irishman.
Talking on Love The Darts, Abigail Davies and Chris Murphy talk about whether or not Beau Greaves ought to be within the dialog for the Premier League
Former world champion Michael Smith will tackle Lisa Ashton whereas ‘Queen of the Palace’ Fallon Sherrock faces Dave Chisnall.
Two-time world champion Peter Wright has been paired with Noa-Lynn van Leuven and Josh Rock performs Gemma Hayter.
“The Gurney-Beau match and Chizzy in opposition to Fallon – they’re those that might go both manner. They actually may,” admitted Mardle.
“Beau Greaves is world class, there is no doubt about it. There may have been worse attracts for Beau and Daryl however they’ve drawn one another. Chizzy isn’t enjoying properly and Fallon will see that as a chance. She’s enjoying respectable.”
“I do not know if the opposite women will fancy their probabilities, however they don’t seem to be the category of their opponent.”
This 12 months’s event has an prolonged discipline of 128 gamers and all seeded gamers will play twice earlier than Christmas.
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