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Littler 'getting better' as he aims to join greats
Luke Littler has the chance to cement his place among darts' greats when he faces Dutchman Gian van Veen in Saturday's PDC World Championship final.
Aged only 18, victory for Littler would see him join an exclusive group of players to win the title more than once.
Phil Taylor's record of 16 - two BDO titles and 14 PDC crowns - remains a distant prospect at this stage, but that it is even viewed as a possibility speaks volumes.
Littler confidently swept aside 20th seed Ryan Searle on Friday to reach his third world final in as many years at Alexandra Palace - and nobody was in the slightest bit surprised.
Two years on from his startling run to the final as a 16-year-old, Littler has swiftly risen to world number one and is dominating in a way only Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have managed previously.
"Obviously in their primes, they were just absolutely unbelievable. I was watching it as a kid," Littler said.
"With what I've done, I can near enough say I'm playing just as well, with the titles, the averages, the amount of nine-darters on TV.
Maybe if I get [another title on Saturday], then I might be on [the] same level.
The concern for his opponents is that Littler is already the world's best player - and has shown signs there is plenty more to come.
"He just makes it look easy," former PDC professional Matt Edgar told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"[He has reached] three World Championship finals out of three World Championship appearances - and the danger is he's getting better.
"It looks like he's getting through these games with ease, he's brushing seasoned professionals aside.
Ryan Searle has been playing fantastic but Luke Littler is just on a different level.
Littler can add his name to a list of multiple PDC world champions which includes Taylor, three-time winner Van Gerwen and Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis, John Part and Peter Wright (all two).
Players to have won multiple BDO world titles include Eric Bristow (five), Raymond van Barneveld (four and one PDC), John Lowe (three) and Jocky Wilson (two).
There is no doubt that Littler is in a position to reign supreme in the world of darts for years to come.
But who, if anyone, might be able to stop him?
Luke Humphries is often viewed as the most likely.
But while the 2024 world champion is capable of reaching somewhere close to the level shown by Littler, the teenager has had his number of late, with convincing victories in the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts finals.
Perhaps the man who so efficiently defeated Humphries in the quarter-finals at the World Championship, then?
That 5-1 victory for Van Veen was one that simply could not be ignored and he backed it up with a stunning win over Gary Anderson in a classic semi-final.
The 23-year-old's run at Alexandra Palace, having previously not won a match at the tournament, comes on the back of a breakthrough year.
Van Veen is a two-time World Youth champion, having lost to Littler in the 2023 final, and claimed his first major PDC title with victory at the European Championship in October.
The confidence taken from that triumph has elevated his game even further and now he is one win away from becoming the third Dutchman to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.
Van Veen has looked every bit the potential champion over the past few weeks, consistently averaging in excess of 100 and finishing nervelessly on the biggest stage.
It is a far cry from his previous struggles with dartitis - a condition which prevents a player from releasing their darts.
"I remember three or four years ago I was in Barnsley at the Metrodome struggling with dartitis and crying at a table," Van Veen told Sky Sports after beating Anderson.
Now look at me four years later. It's all been worth it. It's all been worth it because here we are - unbelievable.
Edgar said: "What a journey he's been on to accelerate to where he was, where he caught the eye, and then the question was 'can he take those big steps?'
The big coming-of-age moment a couple of months ago was picking up the European title. That was the moment we took note and said this is a serious contender.
Van Veen will rise to number two in the PDC world rankings should he win on Saturday and while he knows the size of the challenge he faces, it is one he is relishing.
"Everyone has seen what Luke is capable of over the past couple of years," he added.
He's played fantastic in this tournament but so have I. I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully it will be a great game.
Littler is just 18 and with Van Veen only five years his senior, this has the potential to be a great rivalry for years to come.
Darts would surely benefit from the emergence of a genuine competitor to Littler as he continues his march towards greatness.
Whether that proves to be Van Veen or not, what he has shown so far is enough to raise hopes of an enthralling final.
Source: BBC
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