Darts
2024 Grand Slam of Darts: Luke Littler Sets Sights on Climbing the PDC Order of Merit
Luke Littler survived a thrilling 10-9 win over Mike De Decker to reach the Grand Slam quarterfinals. The 17-year-old darts sensation is focused on climbing the PDC Order of Merit and remains grounded despite pundit Mark Webster's prediction that he could go on to lift the trophy.
Teenage sensation Luke Littler survived a massive scare against recent World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker to scrape through to the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam of Darts, winning 10-9 in a thrilling encounter.
Littler Set to Overtake Aspinall in PDC Rankings with Another Win
Littler, who has been steadily climbing the PDC Order of Merit since his breakout performances at the World Championship, is now on the verge of another personal milestone.
With one more win on the stage in Wolverhampton, the 17-year-old will leapfrog his Target stablemate Nathan Aspinall in the rankings, a feat that would mark another significant achievement in his meteoric rise.
Throughout the Premier League season, Aspinall had jokingly teased Littler, calling him a ‘celebrity’ and claiming he was ‘not a darts player anymore.’
Though a subtle grin might suggest that overtaking Aspinall would feel satisfying, Littler is not one to send cheeky messages if he does make it to the semifinals. “I probably won't,” he said, smirking.
Image credit: PDC
‘I’m Focused on Climbing Higher,’ Says Littler on Ranking Ambitions
However, Littler's goal is not just to overtake Aspinall. His ambitions are set much higher as he aims to continue his ascent in the rankings and, ultimately, reach the top.
“I know up until tonight already gone up to three places and I'm just focusing on getting even higher in the rankings, whether it's this week, next week, or hopefully the worlds,” he told SportsBoom.com.
“There's a lot to win. I just want to do my best and to go deep into the tournaments, then focus on the worlds.”
Littler Responds to Mark Webster’s Prediction
Before the match, Sky Sports pundit Mark Webster made a bold prediction, stating that if Littler could get past the reigning World Grand Prix champion, no one would be able to stop him from lifting the trophy. After surviving such a tough encounter, we asked Littler if he felt unbeatable on the oche, as Webster had suggested.
Responding with characteristic humility, Littler is not yet daring to dream and remains cautious about underestimating his next opponent, Jermaine Wattimena.
Despite being a heavy favourite with the bookies, Wattimena, who recently reached the European Championship final, is a formidable opponent and one Littler is taking seriously.
“Mark's probably said that because of the opponents who were left in it, but you can't knock Jermaine [Wattimena] off. He's a brilliant player and that's why he got to the European final and this is why he's in the quarters. So, I've just, I've got to play the board.”
Littler’s focus remains firmly on the task at hand as he looks to make further strides in his career, one match at a time.
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