World Darts Championship: Wayne Mardle says it’s up to players to stand up and ‘get stuck in Luke Littler’ | Darts News

Wayne Mardle says it’s up to players to rise to the challenge and stay “stuck in Luke Littler” after ‘The Nuke’ cemented his position as one of the sport’s greats.

Littler defeated Ally Pally Wasp to beat Gian van Veen and win back-to-back World Championship titles on Saturday night.

The 18-year-old joins Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson in winning successive crowns and he is the new king of Alexandra Palace.

Littler burst onto the scene with an epic maiden run to the final two years ago and has not lost on that stage since after a masterful 7-1 victory over Van Veen, which earned him a record £1 million check.

With an average of almost 106, 15 maximums and a “Big Fish” checkout of 170, it was one of the great final performances.

Talk to Aerial sportsMardle said: “Luke Littler has proven time and time again that he can play better and longer than anyone and that’s what it is.

“Thirty-one innings were played, he won 23. Those were the limited chances he gave Van Veen.

“We think he will win more and more.

“There’s nothing he can’t do on a dartboard, but we’re getting to the point where it’s about Luke.

“Like when Phil Taylor played well, he won. When Michael van Gerwen played well, he won. It’s all about Luke Littler at the moment.

“The format doesn’t matter. He is simply the best. Look how many leads he gave everyone in the World Matchplay. He is the most reliable and if there is a long format event like this, good luck.

“Luke keeps setting himself new challenges. It’s up to other players to improve, but that’s a certain standard.

“We have some quality players at the moment, but they need to pick themselves up and get stuck in Luke Littler.”

Did Littler peak too soon?

The stinger phenomenon highlighted his status as a generational talent in the sport.

He has put together a tour de force over the past year, winning five of the last six majors, and appears poised for a period of landmark dominance, similar to that enjoyed by “The Power” Taylor.

“When Adrian Lewis won back to back in 2011 and 2012, you think he’s going to win three, four, five more. You don’t know when the end is coming. You don’t know when this whole thing will stop,” Mardle said.

“Phil Taylor won his last world championship in 2013. He was still world number 2 in 2016.

“That’s the problem with professional sport. It may have peaked – I don’t think so! Look at Gary Anderson in 2015 and 2016: ‘Oh Gary, you’re not going to win another one!’

“You look at Raymond van Barneveld in 2007. ‘Ray, you’re not going to win again mate!’ – ‘Of course I am’.

“You never know, that’s why it’s so special.

“I think that’s what Luke Littler does. All the standards he produces are similar. He normally averages 103, 104, 105 for events.

“Of course the odd game sets in with the 97 or 98 odd, but then the 110 odd counterbalances that. That’s his standard and people need to improve. I don’t see him regressing.”

Van Veen is already accomplishing a lot!

Van Veen was disappointed at not being able to give Littler a proper match, but former Lakeside champion Mark Webster believes “this is only the beginning” for the new Dutch number 1.

“He will be disappointed but he played some good things,” Webster said.

“He hadn’t won a single match at Alexandra Palace in his previous two attempts here and now he’s made it to the final.

“He’s achieving so much. He’ll be playing a lot more darts this year, so there are different challenges for him because you have to manage the schedule because he’s a hungry player and he’s going to enjoy it.”

Who will win this year’s Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will defend his title and you can watch the action every Thursday from February to May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and many other top sports with NOW.