Fairy tale without a happy ending at the 2024 Darts World Cup: Shooting star Luke Littler loses the spectacular final against an outstanding Luke Humphries, who is crowned world champion for the first time.
The top favorite is celebrating, the “prodigy” is defeated: Luke Humphries stopped Luke Littler’s fairytale rise at the Darts World Cup in London’s Alexandra Palace and was crowned world champion for the first time.
The 28-year-old Englishman beat his compatriot 7-4 in a high-class final – and thus prevented the historic title run by the 16-year-old “Prince of the Palace”.
By reaching the final, Humphries had already reached the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career. Now he gilded his impressive triumphal procession in the “Ally Pally”. Littler, on the other hand, missed out on replacing Michael van Gerwen as the youngest Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) champion. The Dutchman triumphed in London in 2014 at the age of 24.
“Luke versus Luke” at the Darts World Cup 2024
In the last World Cup final it was “Michael versus Michael” when Michael Smith prevailed against van Gerwen and made history not just because of his nine-darter. Ten years after his title at the Junior World Cup, the Englishman also became world champion among the professionals, the first player ever to do so.
Now the duel “Luke versus Luke” followed – and even before the first flying arrows it was clear that a former (Humphries) or the current junior world champion (Littler) would once again ascend to the World Cup throne. The strange thing: The two had met for the first time four years earlier at a pub tournament. A photo of twelve-year-old Littler and Humphries, who was several kilograms richer at the time, went viral on social media during the World Cup.
The reunion on the biggest darts stage in the world got off to a slow start for Littler. “The Nuke” weakened on the triple fields, Humphries grabbed the first set.
High-class duel in the final of the Darts World Cup
The day before, the new world number one had overwhelmed his opponent Scott Williams with the eighth-highest points average in World Cup history, and Humphries also increased his three-dart average early on in the final.
But Littler put aside his nervousness. The youngster equalized with two high finishes – and took the lead for the first time in a duel at eye level with 3:2 sets.
Littler also secured the next three legs, but then Humphries managed the turnaround with the highest possible checkout (170 points). The duel remained on a knife’s edge, and Littler also checked 170. But the top favorite had the better end – his second match dart fit.
Caller legend Russ Bray, with an inimitably smoky voice, announced Humphries as world champion for the first time at his 14th and final World Cup final. The reward the champion deserves? A whopping £500,000 in prize money.