WORLD FIRST

Littler's wild ride to the top of the rankings

- ANDY DEAN

LUKE LITTLER is the greatest darts player on the planet - and he now has the statistics to prove it.

His semifinal victory over Danny Noppert at the Grand Slam on Sunday meant he overtook Luke Humphries at the summit.

The world champion is now the world No.1 and as he gets used to the view from the top of the darting world, we take a look back at eight matches that set him on his way.

Christian Kist

2024 World Championship

“It started with a Kist, never thought it would come to this,” were commentator Rod Studd’s first words ahead of the 2024 World Championship final between Littler and Humphries.

Kist (inset) looked like being a tricky first opponent for debutant Littler, then just 16, but he breezed past him 3-0. Although Humphries triumphed 7-4 in the final, Littler was the name on everyone’s lips.

Nathan Aspinall

2024 Bahrain Masters

On the back of his blockbuster performances at the World Championship, all eyes were on Littler in his next tournament.