Luke Littler celebrated wildly after hitting a nine-dart finish in his Premier League victory against Michael Van Gerwen. Littler was in scintillating form as he won Premier League Night Seven in Cardiff, successfully opening a cushion over Luke Humphries at the top of the standings.
'The Nuke' dazzled the crowd by beating Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross with three-dart averages exceeding 100. He met Van Gerwen in the final, a familiar sight as both had faced off in this year's showpiece World Championship finale, where the teenager had emerged victorious.
On March 20, 2025, the Dutchman demonstrated a return to form with impressive victories over crowd favorite Gerwyn Price and Chris Dobey but fell short against Littler in a thrilling finish.
During the final's fourth leg, Littler hit two maximums, thrilling the largely Welsh crowd. In the last three darts of the leg, he nailed a treble before going for the 17s and finishing off with a double 15. His explosive celebration and jumps in the air brought the crowd to their feet, sending beer flying and excitement soaring.
This marked Littler's second nine-dart finish of the year after he achieved the feat in a Players Championship against Adam Hunt. He went on to claim victory in the Cardiff final with a 6-4 margin against Van Gerwen, averaging a staggering 112 in the process.
Littler expressed his delight, admitting, "I had no idea. I just had to wait for Huw to call it. Is it? Is it? Yeah. That's what happens when you win. We get booed as players, but when you hit 180s, and [a nine-darter]. Hopefully, another one next week. Tonight I was really happy with myself, especially at the doubles. I think I was pretty good. There's plenty more to come and there's nine weeks left. I've been playing very well. I've not picked up my darts since last Thursday; I've had a complete week off. Six points clear now, I'm comfortable."
With this victory, he moved six points ahead of competitor Luke Humphries in the overall standings and now needs another 20 points to qualify for the play-offs at London's O2 Arena on May 29, 2025.
Despite his improvement, Van Gerwen averaged 101.41 against Littler in the final, showcasing a commendable performance but ultimately not enough to clinch a win.
Fans eagerly await night eight, scheduled for March 27, 2025, at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, where Littler and his fellow competitors will regroup for another thrilling round.
Littler's performance has solidified his position at the top of the league with a mixture of skill, strategy, and rallying crowd support. As he continues to navigate through this Premier League season, fans can expect more fireworks from the 18-year-old star.
With off weeks behind him, Littler's gameplay improves as he reflects on his performance, congratulating himself on the doubles and aiming to solidify his spot as a dominant force in the Premier League, stating, "I want to get to the O2 as quickly as possible. I am in a really good position. I want to finish as No.1. I was happy with myself, especially in the doubles. There is plenty more to come, and there are another ten weeks left."
