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Luke Littler secured the number one position in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) world rankings for the first time by defeating Luke Humphries 16-11 to claim the Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton. Littler had already ensured he would overtake Humphries at the top of the rankings after his 16-9 semi-final victory against Danny Noppert from the Netherlands. His triumph in the final, where he won 10 of the last 13 legs, further emphasized his rise to the summit of world darts, allowing him to retain the Grand Slam title and maintain an unbeaten record in the tournament.
At only 18 years old, Littler has set a new benchmark as the youngest PDC world number one, eclipsing Michael van Gerwen, who became number one at the age of 24 in 2014. Following his victory, Littler expressed his confidence, saying, “I am the best in the world, I can finally say it.” He added, “World number one, you are the best in the world. To top it off by going back-to-back here makes it even more special.” The young champion also acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, “Now I’m number one, I’m hungry to stay there. I want to be there for the next few years.” Recognizing the competition he faces, he remarked, “There’s going to be a target on my back from Luke and all the other players. It’s made me more hungry.”
The final proved to be a tightly contested match, with Littler initially taking a 2-0 lead before Humphries responded by winning four consecutive legs to go 4-2 ahead. Humphries maintained an advantage for much of the match until a spectacular 167 checkout from Littler leveled the scores at 8-8. The turning point occurred at 10-9 in Littler’s favor when Humphries opted for a 170 checkout but missed, followed by an unsuccessful set-up attempt. Littler capitalized by completing a 160 finish to extend his lead, thereafter steadily pulling away to seal the victory. The win increased Littler’s prize money over the two-year ranking period to £1,850,000, surpassing Humphries, who had earned £1,769,000 despite defending his previous winnings from the 2023 tournament.
The rankings are determined by the total prize money accumulated over a rolling two-year period. Former BDO world champion Mark Webster praised Littler’s rapid rise to number one, calling it “some achievement” and “something remarkable.” Webster acknowledged Littler’s consistent performances, noting he doesn’t endure prolonged poor form, though he occasionally suffers early tournament losses. In Littler’s semi-final against Noppert, he overcame a slow start and a tough challenge to come back from 8-6 down, winning 10 of the next 11 legs with an average score of 102.62 to secure his place in the final. Meanwhile, Humphries had extended his time at the top by defeating Gerwyn Price 16-13 in an exciting first semi-final, averaging 106.25 and hitting 16 maximum 180s, giving him one more match as world number one before the rankings officially updated following the final.
Despite relinquishing the top ranking and suffering another defeat to Littler, Humphries remained determined and optimistic. With the World Championships beginning soon, the 30-year-old expressed his ambition to reclaim the title, declaring to Sky Sports, “I am going to win the Worlds,” and signaling a fierce rivalry ahead by saying, “I am declaring war on him. I’m playing good. Tiredness just crept in at the end there. We’re going to go to war at the World Championships; we’ll see who is the one there.” He also acknowledged the duo’s dominance over the rest of the field: “Yeah, I do. I don’t feel arrogant saying that… At the moment us two are playing a level of this sport that is better than everyone else.”
Littler, equally competitive, agreed that their level of play currently separates them from other players. “It definitely is war because if someone takes it off you, then you want it back. You don’t want to be second,” he said. He predicts their rivalry will continue to deliver exceptional matches: “One and two, we’re going to meet in the final if we get past our opponents. Long may it continue.” Highlighting their shared success in titles, Littler acknowledged Humphries’s motivation to reclaim the number one spot, while reinforcing his own determination not to relinquish it. He concluded, “You’re going to see many more great games.
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