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CNN
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A relative unknown just a few weeks ago, Luke Littler is now on the verge of winning a historic title at the World Darts Championship.
The 16-year-old has become a global star since making his tournament debut this year, and the teenage sensation continues to defy expectations by defeating opponents with decades of experience.
He will face fellow Briton Luke Humphries in Wednesday’s final, giving him the chance to become the youngest player in history to win the title.
“I have no words,” Littler told reporters after defeating former world champion Rob Cross in Tuesday’s semifinals.
“I can’t even imagine lifting that trophy yet, though. I just have to focus, relax and be Luke Littler.”
His performance at this year’s competition catapulted Ritter into another stratosphere, where he quickly had to learn how to deal with the pressures that come with being a man of the hour.
On social media, it’s best to avoid mentioning Littler, who charmed the public with his laid-back style and surprisingly normal approach to life.
The story of Littler celebrating his victory with a kebab is loved by the public, and he seems to be taking everything in his stride.
When asked how he planned to prepare for Wednesday’s final, he told Sky Sports it would be business as usual.
“I’m going to do what I’ve always done: go get a ham and cheese omelet in the morning, then come here and eat pizza, then practice on the board,” he said.
Speaking to those in the darts world, Littler knew he had the potential to compete at this level, but at this stage in his career, it was hard to believe he was just one win away from lifting the trophy. Most people couldn’t imagine it.
It all started with a first-round victory over Christian Quist, where Littler put in a memorable performance, dispatching his Dutch opponent in straight sets.
It was certainly impressive, but few thought the world junior champion would be able to maintain such a high level of darts as the tournament progressed.
However, the Littler steam locomotive continued to run away strong and the next to be defeated was Andrew Gilding.
This victory ensured that Littler would return to tournament play as a normal 16-year-old after the Christmas break.
“Honestly, it was just Xbox, and more Xbox,” he told reporters when asked how he spent Christmas.
After the break, attention to this young man began to gradually increase. His straight-sets victory over Matt Campbell in the third round attracted attention and secured him a match against darts legend Raymond van Barneveld.
The Dutch veteran is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and was Littler’s childhood hero. But there was no time for sentimentality for the teenager, sending the 56-year-old on his way to cementing his status as a genuine contender for the title with relative ease.
In the quarter-finals, he faced Brendan Dolan, but Littler expended little energy to defeat the Northern Irishman. The match was the most watched quarter-final in the tournament’s history on Sky Sports, with a peak audience of 1.4 million viewers.
Zach Goodwin/Associated Press
Littler became a fan favorite during this year’s tournament.
Undaunted by the growing noise and excitement, Littler then remained calm and delivered perhaps his best performance to date, defeating the 2018 champion’s cross in a match of world-class quality.
according to The semi-final was watched by a record 2.32 million people, with Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) chairman Eddie Hearn watching.
“It would be incredible if we could win this title. I set a goal for myself to win one game and come back after Christmas, and I’m still here,” Littler said.
When you talk to Littler off stage, he’s just like any other teenager. When interviewed by CNN Sports ahead of the third round, he was soft-spoken and giddy with the attention he was receiving on social media.
But when he stands in front of the board with darts in hand, Littler transforms into a machine, mature beyond his years and unafraid even in front of a raucous Alexandra Palace crowd.
“I love it,” he said. “People are drinking beer and screaming, it’s crazy. It’s hard to concentrate, they’re chanting your name, but you have to get it out of your head and concentrate somehow .”
He has one more opponent to defeat, but Humphries will likely be his toughest test yet.
The 28-year-old recently became world number one after defeating Scott Williams 6-0 in the semi-final, but Humphries said he was now fully focused on Wednesday’s “big” chance.
“Luke needed to give an expressive performance, so [Littler] Tonight was amazing. Every aspect of my game is exactly as I wanted it to be, so it’s a very special moment,” he told reporters after his semi-final win.
“Being world number one is something you can only dream of as a child, but if I become world champion, tomorrow will stay with me forever. So my mind is completely focused on it. doing.”
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