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CNN
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Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has reflected on his “incredible” journey at this year’s World Darts Championship after falling just short of his goal of becoming the youngest player ever to win the title.
The 16-year-old fought back tears on stage after losing 7-4 to Luke Humphries in Wednesday’s dramatic final, ending his fairytale run in the tournament.
Although he was disappointed that he couldn’t cross the line, Littler said on Instagram, “I’m happy to have won runner-up” and “I’m happy to be able to participate in such a great final.”
The teenager has become a global favorite since making his tournament debut this year, with the sport’s rising star overcoming the odds and defeating opponents with decades of experience.
However, fellow Briton Humphries proved to be a step too far as Littler could not find a way to surpass the current world number one.
“It was unbelievable,” Littler told reporters after the final, reflecting on the transformative weeks.
“No one likes to lose, and I haven’t lost that often, but I can’t be mad at myself for losing on that stage.”
Littler’s performance at this year’s competition catapulted the young man into another stratosphere, where he quickly had to learn how to deal with the pressures that come with being a man of the hour.
In the lead-up to the final, social media was awash with congratulations for Littler, who charmed the public with his laid-back style and surprisingly normal approach to life.
The story of a young man celebrating his victory with a kebab was loved by the public, and his journey attracted attention.
He continued to create magical moments in a dynamic final that saw the momentum swing between two world-class players.
The crowd inside Alexandra Palace was focused on Littler’s corner, with the teenager at one point leading the match 4-2.
But Littler squandered a golden opportunity to make it 5-2, allowing Humphries to take the set and roar back into the match.
After the final, Littler agreed that missing the dart was the turning point in the match, saying that when he stopped his rhythm to double check with the referee what he needed to aim for, “I went black. ” he said.
A relentless Humphries won the next four sets to win the match, punishing Littler each time his standards were lowered.
The 28-year-old said he almost quit the game due to anxiety, but fell to his knees when his final dart hit the target.
“Words can’t describe how amazing this feels,” an emotional Humphries told Sky Sports.
“All day long I was thinking in the back of my head, ‘Let’s get this now. He’s going to rule the world of darts in no time.’
“[Littler] He’s an unbelievable talent, but he had to win tonight and I’m sure he’ll win a lot.”
When I spoke to people involved in the darts world, most people, including Littler, knew that he had the potential to compete at this level, but they never expected him to be eliminated as a finalist and end the tournament. I couldn’t have imagined it.
It all started with a first-round victory over Christian Quist, where Littler put on 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.
Littler then remained calm despite the growing noise and excitement and delivered perhaps his best performance, beating 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 won this title. I set a goal for myself to win one game and come back after Christmas, and I’m still here,” Littler said at the time.
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 .”
The crowd continued to chant his name after losing in the final, showing just how much Littler has contributed to the sport of darts in recent weeks.
One thing is for sure: Littler will have many more chances to win a world title in the future, and his hordes of die-hard fans will be coming back to watch him.
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