Luke Humphries believes teenager Luke Littler will become a world champion; Premier League Darts returns to Sky Sports on Thursday February 1 as Cardiff kicks off the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs on Thursday May 23 at London's O2
Thursday 4 January 2024 15:25, UK
Luke Humphries admits he had to 'spoil the party' after defeating 16-year-old Luke Littler to lift his maiden World Darts Championship title.
The debutant has set Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and was one win away from producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time by becoming the youngest world champion.
But he fell at the final hurdle as Humphries showed why he is the new world No 1 with a scintillating 7-4 victory, which saw him lift the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time.
"Luke showed incredible grit, incredible determination. We will never, ever see the likes of him again. To go up on that stage in a world final and produce those darts. I was putting him under so much pressure," said Humphries.
"I love the kid to bits and I hope that he's in the Premier League and plays in everything because I would love the share the stage with him a lot more.
"I've just achieved something that is a dream for darts players, so I'm really, really pleased.
"Obviously the crowd wanted Luke to win and I couldn't begrudge them that because it would have been a fantastic story had he won the tournament. What an incredible story would that have been for our sport."
Life will never be the same for Littler, who now has a global profile, as his exploits have transcended the world of darts.
He may have fallen just short of achieving sporting immortality, but this is just the beginning for Littler and his time will surely come, with many tipping him to become a multiple champion.
"My dream was to be world champion and I had to spoil the party but he will be a world champion and if he doesn't I'll be very, very shocked," admitted Newbury thrower, Humphries.
"He has grown darts bigger than anybody could have imagined and what a way he carried himself. He has got a fantastic attitude and he has got a good family behind him. He has got a massive, massive future ahead of him.
"He is relentless, isn't he? That could be his nickname. There was just nothing that could have fazed him there. Every single leg on leg he seemed to find a treble or two trebles.
"That was the world final for a 16-year-old. To put in a performance like that, if he wouldn't have played well we'd have all forgiven him. He was unbelievable. I've got no superlatives to describe how good he is."
Humphries believes Littler should be handed a lucrative place in the Premier League, adding: "If you're not going to be overawed in the world final I don't think the Premier League is going to overawe you. It takes a lot out of you but he has to make his own decision."
The 2024 Premier League Darts season will begin in Cardiff on the first day of February with the Play-Offs to take place at London's O2 Arena at the end of May.
Berlin, Glasgow, Newcastle and Exeter host events in February, before the Premier League roadshow heads to Brighton, Nottingham, Dublin and Belfast in March.
Manchester, Birmingham, Rotterdam and Liverpool are the cities for April's Premier League nights, before Aberdeen, Leeds, Sheffield are the venues ahead of the final in London on May 25.
Premier League Darts returns to Sky Sports on Thursday February 1 as Cardiff kicks off the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs on Thursday May 23. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW
