Luke Littler joins pantheon of greats at sport's biggest pantomime | Sean Ingle

"Few sports stars in history are so precocious that their place in the pantheon is assured by the time they are 18. Pele was one. Nadia Comaneci another. Boris Becker too. Now you can add Luke Littler to that list. Most experts had expected Gian van Veen to give Littler a proper test. He did. For three sets. Then this final became a rout. After his 7-1 dismantling, Van Veen was asked whether Littler was unstoppable. It felt like it, came the sad reply."

"With this victory, Littler became only the fourth player to retain a PDC title, following on from Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson, with Eric Bristow having achieved the feat earlier. And there has certainly been a whiff of prime Bristow about Littler at these championships. The cockiness verging on arrogance. The Dorian Gray snarl, and willingness to embrace being a heel when heckled."

"Only twice over three weeks has Little looked ruffled. First by the crowd's abuse in his victory over Rob Cross. And then by a wasp that whirled around him when he was 3-1 up in the final. Van Veen has spoken movingly about his struggles with dartitis, a psychological condition that leaves players unable to release the dart quickly. Once Littler knew his opponent was struggling he kept increasing the pressure until his opponent's will snapped."

Luke Littler, 18, overwhelmed Gian van Veen in the final, completing a 7-1 victory after an initial three-set contest that then became a rout. Littler became the fourth player to retain a PDC title, following Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson, with Eric Bristow having achieved the feat earlier. Littler showed cocky, Bristow-like mannerisms and a readiness to play the heel when heckled. Only twice across three weeks did he seem ruffled: by crowd abuse in the Rob Cross match and by a wasp in the final. Van Veen has battled dartitis and feelings of inadequacy, and Littler increased pressure until his opponent's will snapped. Littler's precision, nerve and fundamentals remain unmatched.

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