Luke Littler produced a ruthless display to topple his great rival Luke Humphries and celebrate a maiden BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix title in Leicester on Sunday evening.
Littler added his name to the illustrious roll of honour in the double-start event with a 6-1 success against Humphries, who was featuring in his third consecutive final at the Mattioli Arena.
The World Champion won each of the opening four sets in deciding legs to establish a commanding cushion, before Humphries produced a timely burst to open his account in set five.
However, Littler restored his four-set buffer with a blistering sixth set surge, before capping off a merciless display to pocket the £120,000 top prize.
“This is not the easiest tournament to win and this week has been so tough,” reflected Littler, who also missed the bull for a nine-darter in a high-quality final.
“Now I have picked the trophy up, I can tick it off and there’s not many left!
“I’ve learnt from the World Matchplay that I have to hit the big outshots and the big scores when Luke puts me under pressure, and I think I did that very well tonight.
“He was always behind me and I couldn’t step off the gas, so I am very happy to win.”
Littler produced a series of superb performances to triumph in the East Midlands, overcoming Gian van Veen, Mike De Decker, Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton earlier in the event.
The Warrington wonderkid has made no secret of his desire to overhaul Humphries and claim the world number one spot, and his exploits in Leicester have taken him to within £70,000 of his World Cup partner.
“It’s not a lot of prize money, especially given what we play for,” added Littler, also a winner at the UK Open and World Matchplay earlier this year.
“Luke will know now that I am on his back – I am on to him.”
Humphries, meanwhile, was unable to add a second double-start title to his extensive trophy haul, having joined Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in reaching three successive World Grand Prix finals.
The world number one defeated Nathan Aspinall, Krzysztof Ratajski, Cameron Menzies and Danny Noppert to progress to Sunday’s showpiece, and he was full of praise for Littler post-match.
“It is hard to take, it is disappointing. Luke is so clinical,” admitted a gracious Humphries, who walks away with the £60,000 runner-up prize.
“In the first four sets, I missed so many darts to get in – double 16 was my friend for the last three years and tonight it wasn’t.
"Luke is amazing, he’s so good. I tried my best there but he ran away with it in the end and his class shone through.
“I’ll be back. I’ve got many more battles with him in the future that I need to be better for – but he is amazing so fair play.
“I have to just get better, I have to practice harder and if I don’t then he will just walk away with it every time.
“I have to go home and dedicate everything to being a dart player and work harder than I ever have, because I want to match him.”
Littler drew first blood in a topsy-turvy opening set, before defying a 104 average from Humphries in the second to double his advantage.
Humphries fired in legs of 13 and 11 darts to force a decider in set two, only for Littler to follow up a superb 177 with a clinical 64 kill on tops to extend his cushion.
The teenage superstar then came agonisingly close to a slice of World Grand Prix history to kick off the third stanza, missing the bull for a double-start nine-darter.
Littler would have become only the fourth player to achieve perfection at this event, although the irrepressible teenager continued his charge with a 104 checkout to wrap up set three.
Humphries refused to relent, converting 149 and 110 finishes to round off back-to-back 12-darters, but it still wasn’t enough to open his account, as Littler won through a decider for a fourth successive set to lead 4-0.
The world number one finally got his reward in the fifth, producing a magnificent 154 finish to avert the prospect of a whitewash, yet a brilliant 11-darter from Littler in the latter stages of set six which saw him restore his four-set buffer.
The 18-year-old was in no mood to offer Humphries a route back into proceedings, and despite Humphries forcing another set decider, Littler followed up 98 and 111 combinations with a 14-darter on tops to celebrate World Grand Prix glory.
2025 BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix
Sunday October 12
Final
Luke Littler 6-1 Luke Humphries (3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 1-3, 3-1, 3-2)