The future continues to look bright for teenage darts prospect Luke Littler, whom some fans christened a 'future world champion' on Sunday.
That's after 'The Nuke' added to his growing CV with a stunning nine-dart leg in Leicester. As if fans weren't already struggling to believe the Cheshire native's quality at the age of 16, this latest feat left spectators in even greater disbelief.
Littler let rip against Rune van Damme on his way to the finale, making light work of one leg in particular during the round of 16. He stepped to the oche and converted two maximums before clearing up 141, building belief he's destined to join the big guns in the very near future.
It's widely considered one of the most difficult accomplishments in sport, and yet Littler made the feat look all too routine.
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The teenage talent dispatched Van Damme before advancing to a final fixture opposite Gian van Veen, his main competition for top spot on the Development Tour's Order of Merit. And Littler showed plenty of grit in the decider, falling 4-1 behind before winning four straight legs to claim a narrow victory.
The win marked his fourth title-winning moment of the 2023 Development Tour – as well as a £2,500 grand prize – with many fans suggesting Littler already deserves his PDC Tour Pro Card.
Is Luke Littler the greatest prospect in darts right now? Let us know in the comments section below.
"Luke Littler is a darting freak," praised YouTuber Matthew Edgar. "Best I’ve seen at this age and grown up around the likes of [Michael van Gerwen] and [Adrian] Lewis. Never get carried away with players at this age but this lad's the real deal!!"
"Give this guy an automatic tour card," gushed another. "I see no need for him to go to qualifying school. PDC should take a deep hard look at the way players can get on the regular tour."
A third admirer added to the praise and simply wrote "future world champion" in response to a tweet detailing Littler's latest feat.
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It may not be long before The Nuke is rubbing elbows with the PDC's prestige, vying to replicate his nine-darter in a televised setting. Darts has produced a number of young guns shouldering huge expectations in recent years, but Littler is easily creating the biggest buzz seen around a young prospect for some years.
The youth may find the step up in competition difficult to contend with when that transition inevitably comes. However, moments of magic like that witnessed in Leicester on Sunday will be more than welcome on the big stage.
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