Revealed: How Luke Littler will spend his New Year’s Eve as the teenager prepares for quarter-final clash at the World Darts Championship
Luke Littler will spend New Year’s Eve ‘chilling’ with his parents and playing on his ‘little Nintendo Switch’, ahead of his World Championship quarter-final on Wednesday against friend and stablemate, Nathan Aspinall.
The 17-year-old ended his stunning 2024 by winning a seven-set thriller against Ryan Joyce on Monday and admitted that despite having an incredible year, winning ten PDC titles, he misses the ‘freedom’ he played with at the Ally Pally last year, when he reached the final as a 16-year-old.
‘I was more comfortable last year. No one really knew me, I was playing with absolute freedom,’ said Littler.
‘I’d probably say I do (miss that freedom), but it’s also good to have nerves. In the first game against Ryan, it showed I was human after all. To come through that game, it was massive and the last two games have been huge. I’ve played these last few games with a bit of freedom and that adrenaline boost.’
Asked about whether he senses any jealousy towards him on the circuit after amassing over a million pounds in prize money in a year, Littler said: ‘I don’t know. Some players do show it, but I saw Scott Williams’s interview where he was getting sponsorship opportunities because of myself. It’s good to see what I’ve done. It’s definitely not to my face but whenever I’m practising, I can feel that tension and I just laugh at it.’
With his fourth-round clash against Joyce level at three sets apiece, Littler delivered a killer final set with an average of 111 to ensure he would be back at the Ally Pally in 2025 and celebrated by letting out a huge roar at the end.
Luke Littler will spend New Year’s Eve ‘chilling’ with his parents ahead of his quarter-final tie
Littler booked his place in the final eight after a narrow victory over Ryan Joyce on Monday
The 17-year-old will take on in-form Nathan Aspinall on Wednesday, who won his tie 4-0
‘I didn’t even realise the double 12 was in until Charlie (Corstorphine) called it and then I just thought I’d give it. Just give it,’ he said.
Littler revealed afterwards that he was asleep on Sunday and found out at 2am via Instagram that Luke Humphries, who beat him in the final last year, was knocked out by Peter Wright.
With Humphries eliminated, Littler’s path to a second successive final has opened up and the tournament favourite insisted that he will look to replicate the same plan as last year.
‘It would certainly suit me if I can get past Nathan. Obviously play, sleep, wake up and play again. And that’s what I like. I prefer not to have days off because right now I’m not practicing in between so I have to come here a bit earlier and get the practice in.’
Asked who was his biggest threat now to becoming the youngest world champion ever, Littler said” ‘Every player has to say the biggest threat is the man in front of them. Mine’s Nathan Aspinall and if I do go on to win it’ll be either Peter Wright or whoever he plays (Stephen Bunting). But the main target is Nathan.’
And Littler stressed that ahead of his all-English quarter-final, which is last up on New Year’s Day, both him and Aspinall will ‘keep ourselves to ourselves’ and not talk to each other.
On the other side of the draw, three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen takes on Callan Rydz and Chris Dobey takes on 2021 champion, Gerwyn Price, with all four quarter-finals taking place on New Year’s Day.
