Littler demolishes Humphries to win World Grand Prix

World champion Luke Littler clinically defeated world number one Luke Humphries 6-1 to win his first World Grand Prix title.

Littler, 18, was knocked out in the first round of the ‘double-in and double-out’ tournament on debut last year, but was more impressive throughout this campaign.

His average was lower than Humphries’ in the final, but he was ruthless throughout, winning five of his six sets in final-leg deciders to claim the £120,000 prize money.

It gives Littler his seventh PDC major televised title – the joint seventh-highest in history.

He has closed the gap between himself and leader Humphries to just over £70,000 at the top of the PDC’s order of merit as the two battle to arrive at December’s World Championships as world number one.

“I’m very happy to tick it off, it’s not the easiest tournament to win,” Littler told Sky Sports. “This is one I can tick off and there’s not many left.”

On the battle to be world number one, Littler said: “It’s definitely not a lot of [a difference in] prize money, especially with what we play for. Luke will know I’m behind his back now, I’m on to him.”

Humphries said he needs to “dedicate everything” to being able to match Littler.

The first set was shaky with Littler taking 13 darts in the second leg to get in, before pair exchanged breaks in leg three and four.

Littler, who beat four previous winners of the event on his way to winning it, held to claim the early advantage.

From there he clicked into gear, with Humphries, who had become just the third person to reach three successive Grand Prix finals, failing to create opportunities to snatch any initiative.

Littler took set two with a 64 checkout after a brilliant 177 set-up in leg five and he then got eight darts into a nine-darter in the opening leg of set three, before winning it after Humphries missed four darts at double.

Set four was won by Littler in another final-leg decider before Humphries got on the board by sensationally taking out 154 to pick up set five.

That could have been the spark for the 2023 winner but Littler was not willing to open the door and won the next two sets to seal the victory.

Humphries will walk away wondering what happened. He averaged 93.61 to Littler’s 92.15, while the 2024 world champion also hit more 100-plus scores and 180s.