Luke Littler wins second world title and takes another step towards greatness

If it was ever in doubt before this World Championship, Littler has emphatically proven he is the best player on the planet right now.

The scale of his achievements over his first two years on the main PDC tour also put him on par, if not above, a whole host of darts greats.

Only Phil Taylor, with 14, and Michael van Gerwen, on three, have won more PDC world titles than Littler, who is also just the fourth player to triumph in successive years.

Gary Anderson was the previous person to do so in 2015 and 2016 and, remarkably, Littler has already won more major PDC titles both than the 55-year-old Scot and Adrian Lewis, who won consecutive world titles in 2011 and 2012.

All of this before his 19th birthday.

Eric Bristow was 23 when he won his second BDO world title – a year after his first – while Van Gerwen, at 24, was the youngest winner of the PDC crown before Littler came along.

Given Taylor was 31 when he claimed his second of 16 total world titles and 34 before he clinched his first in the PDC, Littler is well ahead of the game – especially when you consider “The Power” won his last aged 52.

Whether you can imagine Littler still playing at the 2060 World Championship is another matter but it is most certainly possible, making overhauling Taylor’s record seem a real possibility.

“It’s so far away, 14 to go. Another 15 or 16 years, I’d say…” Littler joked.

“I think I could [beat Taylor’s record] if I stay around long enough and keep the hunger.

“But like Michael van Gerwen says, once the hunger goes there’s no point playing – but there’s a lot of hunger left inside me.

“If it happens, it happens. I’ll be around for a very long time and I’m here to win.

“If I get five or six, I’ll be happy.”