'He needs to retire because it’s not fun anymore' - Mike De Decker jokes PDC has had enough of Luke Littler after teen wins another title Down Under

Mike De Decker made a very impressive debut on the World Series of Darts stage this weekend, reaching the final of the 2025 Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong. The Belgian star ultimately had to settle for runner-up spot after losing to world champion Luke Littler, but the 29-year-old said he looked back on a week in which he silenced his critics with pride.

His route to the final had its highs and lows. In the opening round, De Decker beat Australian qualifier Brandon Weening 6-2 despite averaging just 80. A day later, he produced the shock of the tournament, whitewashing world number one Luke Humphries 6-0. He then overcame Chris Dobey 7-4 in the semi-finals to book his place in a first-ever World Series final.

In the final against Littler, De Decker recovered from 2-0 down to level the match, but ‘The Real Deal’ eventually went down 8-4. “People were saying that I didn’t deserve it, so I’m really happy that I got a trophy now,” he said in his on-stage interview afterwards.

Although he fell short in the final against world champion Littler, the disappointment was short-lived for De Decker, who seemed in high spirits afterwards. “I’m just happy to get to the final. But he needs to retire because it’s not fun anymore,” he joked about his young opponent. “I’m glad that I showed that I’m still able to play my A-game. It’s been ups and downs this year, so reaching the final in this tournament is a big confidence boost.”

The performance in Australia has left him hungry for more. With the New Zealand Darts Masters next week as the next stop on the World Series, De Decker hopes to keep the momentum going. “Hopefully I get all of them,” he smiled, referring to potential future invitations.