'I was fuming and he just went on and won it': Luke Littler describes biggest disappointment in his career

He is only 18, but Luke Littler has already experienced many highlights on the international darts stage. Yet one moment still gnaws at him: the lost Premier League Darts final against Luke Humphries in May of this year.

'The Nuke' appeared to be on his way to his second Premier League title at the O2 Arena after he raced to a 5-2 lead. But the lead vanished like snow in the sun. Humphries fought his way back into the match and eventually prevailed 11-8. For Littler, it is still the most painful defeat of his young but stormy career.

“I’ll probably say the Premier League final against Luke [Humphries]," said Littler. "Yeah, because I was 5-2 up and I knew we would go off for a break after 10 legs, so we’ve still got 3 legs to play.

“So, I said to myself, if you go 7-3 up or 6-4 up, then I’m happy, but I went into the break at 5-5. I was fuming and then he just went on and won it.

Humphries stepped up a gear after the break, Littler noted. "He definitely did up his game, because I’m pretty sure after the break, I think he went 7-5 up.

“So he came on stage, won the next two legs. I was just thinking what was going on.”

Despite that loss, Littler has since become darts' biggest international star. He himself can still enjoy the walk ons of others, and the rise of Michael van Gerwen especially impresses him.

“I think one of the main walk-ons that I still love to this day is Michael van Gerwen’s. I think last year he was a higher rank than me, so I walked on stage first, then he walks on, and just like the whole venue goes green, and he walks out, I still get a buzz off it.

“But now I’m a higher rank, so he walks first and waits for me!”