Luke Littler has revealed he hopes to be world No 1 by the end of the year following his recent triumph at the World Darts Championship.
The 17-year-old thrashed Michael van Gerwen 7-3 at Alexandra Palace last week to become the latest winner of the Sid Waddell trophy.
Littler has risen to No 2 in the PDC Order of Merit, with Luke Humphries the only player ahead of him.
The teenager has previously admitted that he’d like to be No 1 one day, regardless of all of his other achievements in the sport.
Luke Littler has revealed he hopes to be world No 1 by the end of the year following his recent triumph at the World Darts Championship
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And Littler, speaking to Sky Sports, has now revealed he hopes to realise that goal by the end of the year.
Looking back on the World Darts Championship, he said: “I would have loved to hit a nine-darter in the World Championships and obviously try and end 2024 with five nine-darters, but it wouldn’t be, so obviously that’s another record that I can try and break for years and years.
“When you’re playing so good, you can feel the nine coming.
“I am now just going to recharge the batteries and chill but people are going to see that I’m going to be hungry for more titles this year and hopefully I can go one better and win 11 or even 12 onwards.
“Obviously if I can add some more money to the rankings, we all know how much Humphries is defending, it is a hell of a lot of money.
“But another thing, I can’t wait to play in the World Cup with him. Maybe at the end of 2025, I can see myself number one.”
Another goal for Littler will be defending his Premier League title.
The youngster secured glory in that competition back in May, with familiar foe Humphries beaten in the final.
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Not many knew what to expect from Littler when he first graced the tournament.
But he proved he deserves to be competing at the top after winning the Premier League at the first time of asking.
And Littler would like to make it two titles on the trot, even though he knows how difficult that will be.
“Yeah, if I can go back to back, it’d mean the world,” he added.
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Luke Littler was visibly emotional after winning the World Darts Championship
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“Leading up to it (in 2024), I thought if I could be in the top four, I’d be happy, but obviously, I finished first because of the way I played.
“But I will just have the same mindset going into it, if you make the play-offs, that’s all that matters and just give it your all at the O2.”
In addition to Littler, seven other players will compete for Premier League supremacy later in the year.
Humphries makes the cut, as the world No 1, while Van Gerwen also qualifies following his stirring run to the final.
Luke Littler will battle it out for Premier League glory with the likes of Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen later in the year
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Rob Cross, Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price have been named in the line-up.
And so too have Chris Dobey and Nathan Aspinall.
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