Luke Littler has opened up about his growing frustration at the World Darts Championship, though it stems from a positive place.
The 17-year-old sensation, who reached the final last year, has been struggling to complete a nine-dart finish at Alexandra Palace.
His latest attempt during his 3-1 victory over Ryan Meikle saw him miss double 12 for what would have been a perfect leg.
The teenage star joins Damon Heta and Martin Schindler in missing crucial doubles for nine-darters during this year’s tournament, with Christian Kist being the only player to achieve the feat so far.
Luke Littler has opened up about his growing frustration at the World Darts Championship, though it stems from a positive place
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After beating Meikle, Littler displayed raw emotion, breaking down in tears as he embraced his parents following what he described as a difficult match where he struggled to relax on stage.
The young star will return to action this Saturday when he faces Ian White, who progressed by defeating Ritchie Edhouse in the second round.
The tournament’s seeding suggests Littler could be on course for a highly anticipated semi-final rematch with Luke Humphries.
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Luke Littler was consoled by his parents at the World Darts Championship on Saturday night amid emotional scenes
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This potential clash would pit the two most in-form players in world darts against each other, following their memorable final encounter last January.
Speaking about his near-miss, Littler told Sky Sports: “It’s definitely becoming a frustration in a good way. Obviously, as soon as you make the switch to the treble 19, your eyes light up.”
The youngster showed good humour about the cameras catching his reaction to the missed opportunity, adding: “I heard the camera pan around to the winner, so I’m sorry whoever you are! I’ll try again.”
Littler remained analytical about his approach to the game, saying: “Throughout the game, the cover shots were OK. I left 265 a few times and hit the treble 19 well, but I might have to take a moment to think about the treble 17.”
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Should Littler achieve a nine-darter in the tournament, tournament sponsors Paddy Power will pay out £180,000, split equally between the player, charity and a lucky crowd member.
The achievement would mark a significant milestone for Littler, who could become the first PDC player to hit five nine-darters in a single year.
Luke Littler will face Ian White up next at the World Darts Championship
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The teenager has come agonisingly close before, missing two nine-dart attempts during his recent run to the final of the Grand Slam of Darts.
At that time, he had considered alternative routes to perfect legs, though he admitted that during his match against Meikle, he “didn’t even think about the 51.”
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