Luke Littler has accomplished an incredible amount already in his short darts career and is eyeing up his next big achievement after winning the World Grand Prix.
The 18-year-old thrashed Luke Humphries 6-1 in the final in Leicester on Sunday night, winning the double-in event for the first time.
The world champion survived a scare in the quarter-finals to beat Gerwyn Price 3-2, but otherwise was dominant over the week.
He was incredible in his opening 2-0 win over Gian van Veen, also beating Mike De Decker 3-0 and Jonny Clayton 5-1 on his way to the title.
Littler has now won the World Championship, UK Open, World Matchplay and Grand Prix this year, but incredibly he is yet to hit the top of the world rankings.
Humphries has also had a brilliant couple of years and is holding onto the world number one spot, but the Nuke is closing in on him and hopes to leapfrog Cool Hand before the World Championship begins in December.
‘This is my time and I’ve just got to keep going,’ Littler said on Sunday after landing the £120,000 top prize.
‘Obviously, until I get that world number one spot, I will never call myself the best in the world.
‘Whoever’s number one, they’re the best. But knowing I’m only £70,000 in prize money behind Luke, and then he’s got to defend all of his prize money from the Grand Prix, the Players Championships and the World Championship.
‘I don’t want to think about it too much, but I could be world number one before that World Championship.
‘I’ve just got to keep chucking away and put as much pressure as I can on Luke.’
On bridging the £70,000 gap, he said: ‘It’s not a lot of prize money, especially given what we play for.
‘Luke will know now that I am on his back – I am on to him.’
Littler is straight back into action on Monday as he is playing in a World Youth Championship qualifier.
He will then be looking to add some more prize money to his ranking in back-to-back Players Championship events in Wigan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
His next major tournament comes at the European Championship in Dortmund from October 23-26.
The Nuke was stunned in the opening round of the tournament last year by Andrew Gilding, but will go in as favourite to lift the trophy and claim the £120,000 winner’s cheque.
Humphries was playing in his third straight Grand Prix final, winning the event in 2023 and losing last year to De Decker.
Still the world number one, he accepts that he needs to work extremely hard to try and keep Littler away from the top of the rankings.
‘Luke is amazing, he’s so good. I tried my best there but he ran away with it in the end and his class shone through,’ said the 2024 world champion.
‘I’ll be back. I’ve got many more battles with him in the future that I need to be better for – but he is amazing so fair play.
‘I have to just get better, I have to practice harder and if I don’t then he will just walk away with it every time.
‘I have to go home and dedicate everything to being a dart player and work harder than I ever have, because I want to match him.’