Luke Littler: ‘If my A-game is there, why can’t I win World Darts Championship?’

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Luke Littler was flattered to hear people are comparing him to Michael van Gerwen after he booked a place in the third round of the World Darts Championship.

Littler held off a mid-match charge from the experienced Andrew Gilding to knock out the 20th seed with a 3-1 win on Thursday night.

The 16-year-old won his first match at the Alexandra Palace on Wednesday and his natural throwing style has got the darting world talking.

Littler told Sky Sports News, following his latest win, that he believes he can go all the way and reach the final on January 3.

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Oh it was brilliant it was a pleasure to be there last night actually see that first hand and see the man in action and H dream debut at the world darts Championship continues for 16-year-old Luke ller it certainly does the Prince of the palace as we have dubbed him we

Don’t care if it’s a little bit early to call him that he beat 20th seed Andrew gilding to make it through to round three and we are absolutely delighted to say that Luke joins us now this morning morning on Sky Sports News Luke thank

You so much for coming on we are both so excited to speak to you I mean first of all how are you after the last couple of days because it’s been something of a whirlwind I imagine um yeah the the experience has been unbelievable social media has been

Popping off everywhere I’ve had loads of followers on my social so it’s just been a good experience these past 48 to 72 hours brilliant mate and it’s you know this this almost be mad for you cuz you’re a you’re a young lad it’s so easy

To forget how how young you are here you are with an earpiece in talking live on Sky Sports news for the you know for the first time it must just be strange for you I mean what what are your mates thinking of all this see you I mean I

Bet the whatsapps are flying about on the boards aren’t they I bet they can’t believe what’s happening yeah my Snapchat’s popping off with all my mates and obviously when I I still watch Sky Sports News and now I’m on to it but it’s just so good to have

All my mates supporting back home cuz obviously not everyone can watch me at the worlds this year but I know the support and the backing is there at home you’re going to be on skysports and ‘s a lot mate coming up you get used to doing this because it’s something you’re

Probably going to be doing for years to come isn’t it annna yeah absolutely the first of many we’re sure um the other night that the crowd were chanting at Alie P you’ve got school in the morning now it is Christmas holidays I think had you already broken up is was the

Schedule in kind to you to make sure you could be everywhere you need to be um well obviously I’ve done my gcss well I done I’ve done a few of many gcss and then um I just never got into college cuz I W my Pro Tour card off the

Development tour so to be honest I’ve never really got into college so I don’t know where they’ve got that from but it is funny to listen to them and just know that I’ve not got school in the morning cuz from the start of next year it’s

Just all darts darts darts for me yeah well listen I do you like do you like the Chan or do you find it off cuz I I was there last night like I said me and me and the the guys were talking about it say school in the one I was trying to

Put myself in your shoes as a 16y old guy who you are and everyone’s singing you go to school in the morning I thought would I like it or would I find it funny or would I think it’s a bit offputting or do do you like the channel

Do you want them to come up with something new for the rest of the tournament it’s funny to it it doesn’t put me off it does make me smile but throughout the throughout the legs throughout the sets they’re just always chanting my name there’s only one luk clitler the Colo

And Yaya T chants it’s just unbelievable to hear and obviously when the chant my name it’s just unbelievable to her we’ve just been looking at some of the shots of you up on that famous Ali P stage you look to be handling it so so well cuz

It’s it’s a loud crowd it’s a big crowd how are you finding are you hiding the nerves well or are you actually that cool Karma collected um I was I was nervous yesterday cuz obviously I went 2 N up and then took loads of emotions out

Myself and then went off stage come back and Andrew Beats me 3-0 for the third set I’m just thinking to myself you need to find some energy here cuz I had none obviously clean the setup 3-0 and then in the fourth set I just had to drag

Myself over the line you know that was what for me would made made in some ways last night better than the night before mate because it it was a real test of your uh in inner strength and ability that like you say when you you you flew

Into a two set lead and then to lose the third someone else may have wobbled and it may have confidence would have gone but you roared back to win it and it’s funny talking to you now cuz you’re a young man but you’re so confident up

There and it’s almost like you see with great Sports people that when they when they when they they’re playing their sports or you see it with musicians when they’ve got the microphone in the they just turn into something else and that’s what I saw last night mate do you feel

Are you at your absolute you know the top of your yourself whe when you’re on on that oy in front of that crowd does it bring something out of you um I think it does obviously I’ve been playing well for many years now and

When I turned 303 got the chance to s a Target and Prestige so I’ve earned it but yeah it’s just unbelievable to to have the the backing and um like you said I shut out 2N up the first set I was telling one of he makes the

Countdown cuz he was he was a nervous wreck but I think going into the fourth set I was just thinking to myself don’t be going into a last set on this stage in front of everyone I know the crowd would have liked a a two two and going

Into the last set but I just couldn’t give him to them I think that crowd would rather just see you win to be honest don’t wor I back I backed 3-0 Luke so no let listen I was quite happy to see you do see a raw through mate um

L you’ve had some big comparisons already this week you’ve been compared to Michael Van go and Phil Taylor has been speaking very highly of you he said he even thinks you can win the world this year obviously that’s a little bit of pressure but do you believe that you

Can and well if my if my a games there throughout the tournament and my next game then I don’t see why not I don’t see why I’ve got I know I’ve got a good chance but I just wanted to win my first round game and as soon as I got into the

Hotel I said to me dad to me sponsors now it’s let’s just come back after Christmas and now have overachieved and hopefully I can beat Matt and overachieve again but what Matt’s done to beat James Wade and get into round three it’s just all good for the

Canadian and the USA darts over in the states yeah we’re looking at your potential route to the to the final and the title here luk and there’s some daunting names ahead obviously you’ve got Matt Campbell we know about the likes of Rayman van barnaville go and price Michael Smith and and of course

Michael vanan uh await potentially uh I mean regardless of what happens from here on in it’s been a dream start for you and and really do you feel like the pressure’s off you a little bit now you can I know you said you were nervous yesterday but now it’s almost like you

Got nothing to lose really you can go there and just enjoy yourself s that’s that’s one thing I’ve I’ve I’ve done this tournament just enjoy it I’m on Sky Sports and walking on people asking for autographs and it’s just unbelievable like you said the route to

The final if I can get to the final if I can win it it’ be amazing but like you’ve said um I could just enjoy myself I know I’ve already got 25,000 waiting but if I can add on to the 25,000 then it’ll be an extra bonus yeah not not a

Bad Christmas present eh day like that look we’ve got to ask you about the kebabs because everyone is talking about your uh win celebration of choice you had one after dismantling the former Lakeside Champion Christian kissed him in round one you actually said that that wasn’t a very good one

And that you’re going to try somewhere else last night was your uh second winning Kebab any better I really hope it was um didn’t go for a kebab we just went for a standard KFC other chicken Outlets are available Listen luk to I spoke to you in the

Break before as a as a kebab man myself like Hannah’s a vegetarian so she’s not involved with this but i i h i through my sort of early years lived on kebabs as well and I I honestly some four five a week so I totally if anything it’s

Made me love you even more that you celebrate with a kebab mate but if you were if you were going to go all the way and and win the thing and I know it’s I listen it’s a huge ask D to dream you know what would I mean how would you

Celebrate holiday abroad or please tell me you wouldn’t just go for another Kebab well um after the world is finished um there’s obviously a break for two weeks because of the Q school maybe even three weeks and my birthday’s on the 21st of J so after the worlds

It’s just going to be settling down just chilling relaxing until the pro tour starts class how you are you can throw yourself some birthday party already with the winnings can’t you even now yeah thank you so much for joining us enjoy Christmas enjoy some downtime I’m sure we’ll be putting in plenty of

Practice and we’re looking forward to seeing you back in action in round three of the world champs yeah good luck mate keep it going thank you