Luke Littler defends World Matchplay title, aims to be 'greatest darts player ever'

Published Jul 27, 11:00 AM UTC

Luke Littler, the 19-year-old world No. 1, successfully defended his Betfred World Matchplay title in Blackpool, becoming the first player since Michael van Gerwen to do so. He has now won every PDC major title in 2026, including the World Championship, UK Open, Winmau World Masters, Premier League, and World Cup of Darts. Littler smashed the tournament average record with 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor's 2010 mark of 106.31, and broke his own record for most 180s. In an interview with Sky Sports, Littler reiterated his ambition to become the 'greatest darts player ever,' acknowledging he needs to match Taylor's 16 world titles and other achievements. The article notes that while Littler's scoring rivals Taylor's prime, he would need to win every World Matchplay until 2040 to equal Taylor's title tally, highlighting the longevity required for such comparisons.