Luke Littler remains fiercely ambitious — no time for a holiday, the Winmau World Masters is still missing from his honours list
PDC
Luke Littler once again showcased his exceptional class by winning the inaugural Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in Riyadh on Tuesday evening. The reigning world champion proved too strong for Michael van Gerwen in the final with an 8-5 victory, making history as the first winner of a World Series of Darts event in Saudi Arabia.
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At the Global Theater in Riyadh, Littler underlined once more why he is seen as the face of modern darts. Averaging just under 105 per visit, he left Van Gerwen no room for a second consecutive World Series title in the Middle East. For Littler, the win meant not only another trophy, but also his fifth World Series title in an already impressive collection.
Historic first in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabia Darts Masters was part of the World Series of Darts for the first time this year. That it was Littler who crowned himself the first champion fits perfectly with the rapid rise of the English teenager, who has quickly become one of the sport’s biggest stars.
“To be the first winner here in Saudi Arabia, it means a lot,” Littler said afterwards. “We’ve come over here for the first time and everyone wanted to become the first champion, but I’m very glad to be the one to have done it."
On his way to the final, Littler defeated Gian van Veen first and then Gerwyn Price. His semifinal against Price in particular was of a high standard, with relentless scoring and impressive control on the doubles.
Strong response after disappointment in Bahrain
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The victory in Riyadh came just days after a setback in Bahrain, where Littler fell in the quarterfinals to Gerwyn Price last week. He was strikingly candid about it afterwards.
“It didn’t go to plan last week in Bahrain. Not a lot of practice went into it so that’s the result I get, but I was practicing quite a bit tonight and it’s paid off."
That self-reflection typifies Littler’s maturity, who, despite his young age, deals professionally with highs and lows. In Riyadh he looked sharp, focused, and determined — qualities that have become a hallmark of his game.
Luke Littler won the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters by beating Michael van Gerwen 8-5 in the final
Unprecedented numbers for a teenager
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With the victory in Saudi Arabia, Littler further bolstered his impressive statistics. The world champion has won 31 of his last 33 matches on TV, a run that is hard to fathom for a player who has been on the pro circuit for just over two years.
That streak includes titles at the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, Players Championship Finals, the PDC World Championship, and now the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters. It’s a résumé many established names can only dream of. “As I’m getting older and getting more experience on stage, I’m getting much better,” Littler said. “The experience comes into hand. I’ve definitely got better as I’ve got older and we’ve entered more tournaments."
Although he doesn’t turn 19 until Wednesday, Littler speaks with the composure and confidence of a seasoned champion. “But we don’t stop here, we will try and get better.”
Dominance in the World Series of Darts
With his victory in Riyadh, Littler has won three of the last four World Series events. It underlines his dominance in this prestigious series, where the world’s best players face off on international stages.
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For the PDC, Littler is now a dream ambassador: young, charismatic, successful, and popular with a new audience. His success also contributes to the global growth of darts, especially in emerging markets such as the Middle East. “This was the first time we played here, and of course everyone wanted to be the first champion,” said Littler. “I hope we come back next year so I can defend my title.”
Focus on the Winmau World Masters
After a short break to celebrate his birthday, Littler will set his sights on the next major target: the Winmau World Masters. It is one of the few big titles still missing from his list of honors.
On his debut at the tournament in 2025, Littler fell in the quarterfinals, losing 4-2 to Jonny Clayton despite a phenomenal 108.5 average.
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“I definitely want to go to Milton Keynes and become champion,” asserted Littler. "After the holiday, when I’m back, I’ll be practicing because it’s a title I’ve not picked up yet."
The World Masters, which will be played in Milton Keynes from Wednesday, 01/28/2026, form an important test for Littler. The format is known as tricky, something he acknowledges himself. “Last year in the Masters I played pretty well early on, but then lost out to Jonny. It is what it is, that’s the format and what we’ve got to get used to, but I’ll be more than ready.”
While the darts world keeps wondering where his ceiling lies, Littler remains grounded. “I’m enjoying every moment, but I also know I have to keep working,” he said earlier this week. “That’s the only way to stay at the top.”
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
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- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026
- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026
