Luke Littler's unfathomable debut season in the PDC reached yet another new height as he won his maiden ranking major title at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
After overcoming the legendary Gary Anderson 16-15 in a pulsating semi-final that will live long in the memory at the WV Active Aldersley, the 17-year-old sensation later returned to the oche to destroy tournament outsider Martin Lukeman 16-3 and get his hands on the Eric Bristow Trophy at the first attempt.
Littler dropped the opening two legs of the match but stormed back in emphatic and unplayable fashion, finishing the match with an average of 107.08 and 12 maximums while he also pinned 45% of his doubles.
It capped a remarkable Grand Slam debut in which he averaged over 102 in all seven matches across the week - and in excess of 105 for the tournament - as well as hitting 60 180s and 10 100+ checkouts to hit the headlines once again.
Littler, who completed the victory in less than 35 minutes of playing time, said: “I’m so glad to win this title. "I’ve been playing really well all tournament; it’s been a tough week, but the hard work has paid off!
“I’ve always got to have my scoring power with me, no matter who I play. I had a slow start against Martin, but I kicked on from there.
“I knew coming into the tournament, if I did get my hands on the trophy I’d be up to number five in the world. There’s still more ranking tournaments to go this year, so hopefully I can go a bit higher than number five!
“I cannot wait to play in both events. Hopefully I can have a deep run in Minehead, and then it’s all eyes on the big one - the World Championship!"
While his final average was third highest in Grand Slam final history, just behind Phil Taylor's 109.04 in 2011 and Gerwyn Price's 107.86 in 2019, his tally of maximums smashed the previous record of 52 set by Adrian Lewis in 2013.
Since taking the world by storm with his run to the World Championship final back in January, the 17-year-old has continued to prove why he's unanimously dubbed a 'generational talent' by picking up 10 titles in 11 months as a PDC pro including the lucrative Premier League with victory over the player who defeated him at the Ally Pally Luke Humphries.
GROUP STAGE
Group A
Results
- James Wade 3-5 Mickey Mansell
- Luke Humphries 3-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
- Rowby-John Rodriguez 3-5 Mickey Mansell
- James Wade 5-3 Luke Humphries
- James Wade 5-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
- Luke Humphries 5-1 Mickey Mansell
Group B
Results
- Danny Noppert 5-2 Beau Greaves
- Martin Schindler 2-5 Cameron Menzies
- Danny Noppert 5-4 Cameron Menzies
- Martin Schindler 5-1 Beau Greaves
- Danny Noppert 5-2 Martin Schindler
- Cameron Menzies 1-5 Beau Greaves
Group C
Results
- Rob Cross 5-2 Leonard Gates
- Peter Wright 0-5 Martin Lukeman
- Peter Wright 4-5 Leonard Gates
- Rob Cross 3-5 Martin Lukeman
- Peter Wright 1-5 Rob Cross
- Leonard Gates 3-5 Martin Lukeman
Group D
Results
- Ross Smith 1-5 Ritchie Edhouse
- Dave Chisnall 0-5 Connor Scutt
- Dave Chisnall 2-5 Ross Smith
- Ritchie Edhouse 5-2 Connor Scutt
- Connor Scutt 0-5 Ross Smith
- Dave Chisnall 2-5 Ritchie Edhouse
Group E
Results
- Michael Smith 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
- Mike De Decker 2-5 Jermaine Wattimena
- Mike De Decker 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
- Michael Smith 1-5 Jermaine Wattimena
- Michael Smith 0-5 Mike De Decker
- Mensur Suljovic 4-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Group F
Results
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-1 Lourence Ilagan
- Luke Littler 5-0 Keane Barry
- Keane Barry 5-3 Lourence Ilagan
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 1-5 Luke Littler
- Keane Barry 1-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Lourence Ilagan 3-5 Luke Littler
Group G
Results
- Michael van Gerwen 5-0 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
- Gary Anderson 5-1 Ryan Joyce
- Ryan Joyce 5-3 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
- Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Gary Anderson
- Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Ryan Joyce
- Gary Anderson 5-2 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Group H
Results
- Stephen Bunting 5-4 Wessel Nijman
- Josh Rock 2-5 Gian van Veen
- Josh Rock 5-3 Wessel Nijman
- Stephen Bunting 1-5 Gian van Veen
- Josh Rock 2-5 Stephen Bunting
- Wessel Nijman 4-5 Gian van Veen
Grand Slam of Darts: Knockout Stage
LAST 16 (Nov 13-14)
- James Wade 9-10 Cameron Menzies
- Danny Noppert 7-10 Mickey Mansell
- Martin Lukeman 10-5 Ross Smith
- Ritchie Edhouse 5-10 Rob Cross
- Jermaine Wattimena 10-9 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Luke Littler 10-9 Mike de Decker
- Gary Anderson 10-6 Stephen Bunting
- Gian van Veen 10-2 Ryan Joyce
QUARTER-FINALS (Nov 15-16)
- Cameron Menzies 15-16 Mickey Mansell
- Martin Lukeman 16-11 Rob Cross
- Jermaine Wattimena 2-16 Luke Littler
- Gary Anderson 16-14 Gian van Veen
SEMI-FINALS (Nov 17)
- Mickey Mansell 12-16 Martin Lukeman
- Luke Littler 16-15 Gary Anderson
FINAL (Nov 17)
- Martin Lukeman v Luke Littler
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