"As long as I get to the final, I’ll be No. 1 after the Grand Slam": Focus remains on top spot for Luke Littler amid title defence

Reigning Grand Slam of Darts champion Luke Littler began the defence of his title in Wolverhampton with a commanding opening-night performance, dropping just one leg in a 5–1 victory to kick off his Group E campaign against Karel Sedlacek.

Although the 2025 World Matchplay winner admitted some frustration at missing out on a whitewash, the teenager was satisfied with his start to the campaign at the Grand Slam of Darts.

“Yeah, I was obviously looking for the whitewash,” said Littler. “I just thought to myself, when I lost the bull, you’ve got to get off to a quick start. Anyone has to — it’s only first to five. That’s what I’ve done. But yeah, not the best that I dropped the leg.”

Littler is defending a PDC major title for the second time in his young career and admitted that coming back as the reigning champion feels unique. “It’s the second major I’ve come here and defended,” he said. “I didn’t go to play in the Premier League, but it’s all different. It’s a new tournament, and I’m off to a good start. We’ll come back tomorrow night.”

Having watched players face scrutiny for not defending certain titles, Littler made clear his own motivation to put that particular achievement on his CV. “If anyone wins it, they want to come back next year and prove it right again. They want to go back-to-back, and that’s what I’m here to do. Hopefully I win tomorrow night and then I can relax on Tuesday.”

The 18-year-old believes the Grand Slam’s short-format group stage suits his game. “I think the group games bring the best out of you,” he said. “You’ve got to get off to a quick start. My power scoring is there, the doubles were here, there and everywhere tonight, but I’ll put it right for tomorrow and hopefully go two out of two.”

That emphasis on starting strongly is something Littler is keen to maintain throughout the tournament. “Even a race to six on the Pro Tour, you’ve still got to get off to quick starts,” he added. “I know my ability and I know I can do it — I proved it tonight. I’m not happy to drop a leg, but we’ll reset and come back tomorrow.”

Littler also smiled when asked if the dropped leg was partly down to trying to match Luke Humphries, who had opened with a 5–0 victory earlier in the session.

“Yeah, well, practising we saw Luke was 3–0 up, so we had to rush downstairs. By the time we got there it was 5–0 Luke. But no, not really. He won 5–0 — brilliant. But for myself, I just didn’t want to drop a leg, especially after winning the first four. We’ll come back tomorrow and hopefully get the whitewash.”

Littler’s next test will come later in proceedings but with Michael van Gerwen facing Beau Greaves in a group also featuring Gary Anderson and Niko Springer, in what many have labelled one of the toughest groups in recent Grand Slam memory it is all eyes on it.

Albeit he spoke prior to the win for MVG over Greaves and he admitted that MVG was not at his best. Albeit he did show some brilliance in edging past Greaves

“They can battle it out now,” Littler grinned. “Everyone knows — and I’m going to say it — Michael’s not playing his best, and that group is very difficult. We’ve seen Gary [Anderson] lose to Nico [Springer], so could Michael lose out to Beau here? Whatever happens, I’m sure it’ll be a cracking game.”

Talk also turned to Littler’s pursuit of the World No. 1 ranking, with live standings showing him more than £80,000 ahead of Humphries. “I’m No. 1 as it stands, but we have to wait until the tournament’s done,” he explained. “As long as I get to the final, I’ll be No. 1 after the Grand Slam. I’ve just got to keep focusing and keep beating what’s in front of me.”

Achieving that milestone inside two years of turning professional would be remarkable, but Littler insists it would only drive him further. “Once I do get to No. 1, I want to stay there for as long as I can,” he said. “I think it’ll make me more hungry. It’ll make me play better and make it difficult for everyone to try and catch me.”

Reflecting on returning to the Aldersley Leisure Village as defending champion, Littler admitted it was a strange but welcome feeling. “It’s weird,” he said. “I said in media the other day that when I come back to these venues, I don’t remember half of them — so it’s new to me. But I know I’ve got that winning feeling here, and the sponsor Mr Vegas hasn’t changed, so it all looks the same. I’m off to a good start.”

Littler also paid respect to his opening opponent, Karel Sedlacek, who has impressed on the Pro Tour this year. “I played him in a World Series event — it was a very good game. I expected a lot better from him tonight, but I just had to pounce on him and get the job done.”

And on narrowly missing out on a 170 finish late in the match, the world champion laughed: “Yeah, I don’t think I even had a 118 tonight. Losing that leg and then setting up the 170 — I was always going to try and set it up, but it didn’t go. I just had to get it over and done with.”

Between matches, Littler says he rarely switches off from the action. “When you’re in the practice room there are two or three TVs — you can’t not watch it,” he explained. “I always watch as much as I can just to see what’s going on. Some players don’t watch, but for me, I’ve always watched and I’ll carry on doing that.”

As for his main competition? “Anyone, really,” he said. “You can meet someone from your group again in the next round or the one after. There are plenty of players — Niko (Springer) beating Gary will have his confidence sky high. But with Beau and Michael now, Michael’s got to turn it up. There’s still a lot of competition. I’ve not looked at many groups, but I certainly know this one’s the group of death.”