Littler secures second consecutive World Matchplay title
Luke Littler has successfully defended his World Matchplay title, defeating Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool. Littler achieved an average of 111.53 in the final match, contributing to a tournament average of 111.04. This performance surpassed Phil Taylor’s previous record of 106.31 for the tournament average. Littler also set a new personal competition record for 180s, hitting 12 maximums in the final to bring his total for the week to 66.
This victory marks Littler as only the third player to successfully defend the Matchplay final, joining the ranks of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who last achieved this feat in 2016. The win keeps Littler on track for a notable year, having already secured titles in the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League, and the Masters. He is also set to defend his titles in the Grand Slam, Grand Prix, and Players Championship Finals.
Littler’s dominance was evident from the early stages of the final, where he established a 3-1 lead with a 167 checkout. He extended his advantage to 11-3 with a third bullseye finish of the night. Although he missed double 10 twice, allowing Price to reduce the deficit to 14-7, Littler quickly regained control. Price managed an 11-darter to make the score 15-9, but Littler responded with a 148 checkout before closing out the match.
Reflecting on his performance, Littler described the week as “crazy” and among the best of his life in terms of darts played. He acknowledged the difficulty despite the statistics making it appear easy, highlighting the challenging conditions on stage. Littler expressed that he played some of the best darts of his career, feeling it was “the best version of myself.”
Price’s journey to the final
Gerwyn Price was making his first final appearance since 2022, having not previously won the World Matchplay trophy. Earlier in the week, Price had indicated confidence in his ability to challenge Littler if he performed at his best. Despite averaging 104.97 in the final, Price was unable to overcome Littler’s strong performance.
Price commented on Littler’s exceptional talent, calling him “one in a million.” He felt he played “pretty decent” but acknowledged missing opportunities, particularly mentioning Littler’s bull checkouts and the 167 finish as significant turning points, even early in the game. Price admitted he didn’t play brilliantly but considered his performance decent.
The path to the final for Price included a semi-final match against Gian van Veen. Price had a strong record against Van Veen in the Premier League, winning five out of their seven encounters. In his quarter-final match, Price was pegged back to 12-12 after leading Ross Smith 12-8, but he then secured four consecutive legs to advance. His quarter-final average was 102.78.
The World Matchplay tournament, held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, features 32 players in a straight knockout format. The final is played as the best of 35 legs. Littler had entered the semi-finals with strong title odds, having delivered dominant performances throughout the competition.
Women’s World Matchplay results
In the earlier matches, Beau Greaves secured her third Women’s World Matchplay title in four years. She narrowly defeated Fallon Sherrock 6-5 in a closely contested final. Greaves started strongly with checkouts of 148 and 144 in successive legs.
Sherrock fought back, winning consecutive legs to level the score at 5-5, forcing a deciding leg. Both players hit maximums during the match, but Greaves ultimately triumphed with a 56 checkout to claim the championship. Greaves described her win as a relief, acknowledging Sherrock as a formidable opponent and player. She knew she had to perform well and felt an outpouring of relief after hitting the final dart.
Littler is now focusing on the Pro Tour to qualify for the Player Championship Finals. He mentioned that this commitment would involve travelling to Leicester for some Pro Tours, altering previous plans for a trip to Spain.
Source: theguardian.com
As NewsGB.org's Sports News Writer, Theo Marsden reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He began on a regional sports desk in Yorkshire. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Hull and completed an NCTJ diploma. Theo lives in Hull, where he follows the European Tour and amateur rugby. “Sport moves fast; readers deserve it right the first time.”