Luke Littler becomes the first player in 2024 to win multiple Players Championship titles
Luke Littler becomes the first player in 2024 to win multiple Players Championship titles
Luke Littler claimed his seventh PDC trophy of 2024 on Wednesday, defeating young Dutchman Wessel Nijman 8-6 in a thrilling Players Championship 15 final.
Littler had an excellent start to this week’s treble-header in Milton Keynes, becoming the first player to win multiple Players Championship championships in 2024.
The teenage star won the year’s first Players Championship event in February, sparking a historic streak of 14 different winners in as many events.
However, the 17-year-old ended that streak at the Marshall Arena, rallying from a 6-5 deficit against an in-form Nijman to deny the Dutchman his first senior PDC title.
Littler, making his first appearance since losing in the first round of the World Matchplay, began his campaign with wins over Boris Krcmar and Pascal Rupprecht, both with ton-plus averages.
The Warrington wonderkid then eliminated Jonny Clayton to advance to the round of 16, when he defeated Rhys Griffin and Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 to reach the last four.
Littler kept his momentum going with a devastating 7-2 victory over his stablemate Chris Dobey in the semi-finals, averaging 103 to set up a meeting with Nijman, one of the sport’s most exciting talents.
Nijman led 2-0 after four consecutive legs, including a remarkable 160 checkout, but Littler responded with legs of 13 and 11 darts to tie the game at four.
This was followed by four consecutive throw breaks, but Nijman was left to repent missing two darts for a 7-5 lead, as Littler grabbed a march in the latter stages to win.
“I know what Wessel is capable of,” insisted Littler, who maintains his incredible record of winning a title every month this year.
“I’ve seen him dominate the last weekend of the Development Tour, but it was a good final, and I’m happy to be the only player with two [Players Championship] titles this year!
“I’ve not really picked up a dart since the World Matchplay, so to come here and win is even better.
“I’ve got to back myself to win almost everything. With the standard of the other players I probably can’t do that, but I’d love to win another major title this year.”
After dominating the Winmau Development Tour, Nijman advanced to his first ProTour final on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old won three Development Tour titles at the Marshall Arena last weekend, and he returned to Milton Keynes with a string of outstanding performances.
The Dutch youth recorded a quartet consecutive ton-topping averages to advance to the final eight, defeating compatriots Christian Kist and Gian van Veen before Graham Hall and Darren Beveridge were eliminated.
Nijman then defeated Gary Anderson in a thrilling quarter-final, and he subsequently overcame Damon Heta’s 104 average to win a high-quality last four match.
Heta defeated Ritchie Edhouse and Stefan Bellmont with impressive averages of 108 and 112, respectively, surrendering only eight legs to advance to the semi-finals.
The Australian number one was joined in the last four by Dobey, who landed three ton-topping averages on his route to winning £5,000 in prize money.
The former Masters winner averaged 107 and 105 to defeat Jermaine Wattimena and Mike De Decker, respectively, having previously eliminated world number one Luke Humphries in the last 16.
Nonetheless, Gary Anderson delivered the day’s best performance, with an astonishing 123.83 average in his third-round destruction of Andrew Gilding.
The two-time World Champion finished an outstanding performance with legs of 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, and 13 darts before losing in the final eight to De Decker, Ratajski, and Swiss sensation Bellmont.
Ross Smith averaged 113.23 in his first-round triumph over Maik Kuivenhoven, while Humphries, fresh off his World Matchplay exploits, averaged 103 and 106 before losing to Dobey.
Elsewhere, five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld struck a hat-trick of 100+ averages on his way to the last 16, only to be defeated by a brilliant Anderson in a battle of the darting veterans.
The 2024 PDC ProTour season continues with Players Championship 16 on Thursday.
2024 Players Championship 15
Wednesday July 31
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
Last 16
Stefan Bellmont 6-4 Cameron Menzies
Damon Heta 6-3 Lee Evans
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Darren Beveridge
Gary Anderson 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Littler 6-4 Rhys Griffin
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Alan Soutar
Chris Dobey 6-4 Luke Humphries
Mike De Decker 6-3 Danny Noppert
Quarter-Finals
Damon Heta 6-1 Stefan Bellmont
Wessel Nijman 6-5 Gary Anderson
Luke Littler 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Chris Dobey 6-1 Mike De Decker
Semi-Finals
Wessel Nijman 7-5 Damon Heta
Luke Littler 7-2 Chris Dobey
Final
Luke Littler 8-6 Wessel Nijman
