Luke Littler storms to first World Grand Prix title after beating Luke Humphries
The match was closer than the scoreline suggested but Littler was flawless in deciding legs
Luke Littler swept aside Luke Humphries to win a first World Grand Prix title in Leicester.
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Humphries had looked the more impressive in making it through to the final, but Littler was superb in the clutch moments as he raced to a 6-1 victory.
“Very happy to tick it off,” said the 18-year-old, who revealed he will play in the World Youth Championship on Monday.
“It’s not the easiest tournament to win. This week has been so tough, but now I’ve picked the trophy up it’s one I can tick off and there’s not many left.”
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The match was closer than the scoreline suggested but Littler was flawless in deciding legs, winning each of the first four sets from 2-2.
In the first leg of the third set, he came agonisingly close to a rare nine-dart finish in the format but missed his final dart at bullseye.
In the fourth set, Humphries roused himself from 2-0 down with two big checkouts only for Littler to come up trumps again in the decider, leaving the world number one able only to smile and shake his head.
A 154 checkout from Humphries gave him the fifth set and hopes of at least making it competitive, but Littler responded superbly and dominated the final two sets.
On his precision when it counted, the teenager said: “That’s what I’ve learned from the past in the match play. I’ve got to perform the big out shots, the big scores when Luke does put me under pressure.
“I think I played very well tonight. Luke was always behind me, I couldn’t step off the gas. I’m very happy to win.”
Humphries was disappointed by his own display, adding: “He’s so clinical and the first four sets I missed darts to get in. Double 16 was my friend for the last three years and tonight it wasn’t.
“When I was 4-0 down, I just wanted to give the crowd something. It’s hard to take, it’s disappointing because I felt like I was going to give him a lot better game than I did. Fair play to him, he was really good.”