STWF Sports|Nov. 16, 2025 – Luke Littler added yet another chapter to his extraordinary rise on Sunday night, overcoming early frustrations and a slow start to defeat Danny Noppert 16–9 in the Grand Slam of Darts semi-final—securing both his place in the final and his historic ascent to world No. 1.
At just 18 years and 299 days old, Littler becomes the youngest world No. 1 in darts history, smashing the previous record and continuing a career trajectory unlike anything the sport has witnessed.
But his path to history didn’t start smoothly.
A Rocky Opening Filled with Frustration
The world champion looked rattled from the very first leg, losing on his own throw after a moment of distraction from the Wolverhampton crowd. Sitting on 104, Littler composed the perfect setup—16, treble 16—for a dart at double 20, only for crowd noise to interrupt his rhythm mid-throw.
As the TV cameras zoomed in, Littler appeared to mouth an expletive toward the audience—“f*** off”—before returning to the oche. His dart then clipped agonizingly under the double 20 wire, prompting a visibly irritated Littler to yank his darts from the board and bark toward his family at ringside.
Noppert, a former UK Open champion, made the teenager pay instantly, coolly checking out 120 on that same double to break throw and take a 1–0 lead.
The Dutchman kept his composure through the first mini-session, holding throw to edge a 3–2 advantage at the opening break. Littler’s body language remained tense, shoulders tight as he stalked back to his table between legs.
Noppert Pushes Ahead — But Littler Awakens
After Littler broke back to level things at 3–3, Noppert responded strongly, punishing any dip in scoring to stretch his lead to 6–4. At that point, the world champion appeared to be battling himself as much as his opponent—adrenaline high, rhythm uneven.
But champions adjust, and that’s exactly what the 18-year-old did.
Following the second break, Littler returned calmer, cleaner, and devastatingly efficient. His scoring improved dramatically, peppering the treble 20 with metronomic accuracy as he stormed through the next session.
From 6–4 down, Littler reeled off leg after leg, flipping the match on its head and seizing complete control. His checkout percentage rose, his pace steadied, and his swagger returned.
Once he regained his focus, Noppert simply couldn’t live with him.
The Final Surge to Glory
Showing the trademark power-scoring that made him world champion on his debut, Littler closed out the semifinal emphatically. Noppert fought valiantly, but the teenager ran away with the final stretch, producing a near-clinical run of legs to close out a 16–9 win.
The victory not only preserved Littler’s perfect Grand Slam record—he still hasn’t lost a match in the tournament across two years—but also cemented his place in darts history.
The Youngest World No. 1 in History
By reaching the final, Littler mathematically secured the top spot in the PDC Order of Merit. At 18 years and 299 days old, he obliterates the previous record, becoming the youngest player ever to sit atop world darts.
It’s yet another astonishing achievement in a career that began with a fairytale run at the 2024 World Championship and has since turned into a generational phenomenon.
A Final Awaits — And More History Could Come
Littler now heads into the Grand Slam final not only as defending champion but as the newly crowned world No. 1—his composure, talent, and competitive fire all on full display after a match that forced him to dig deeper than usual.
If this is what he looks like on an “off night,” the rest of the darting world may be in trouble.
