"Liked when he said he's Mitchell Lawrie not Luke Littler": 15-year-old prodigy lauded by Littler as World Champion wins on Ally Pally return

Reigning world champion Luke Littler made a confident start to his 2026 PDC World Darts Championship campaign, brushing aside early nerves and producing a composed performance to reach the second round at Alexandra Palace. The world number one averaged 101 and hit 64% of his doubles, securing a victory he described as “the hardest game out of the way.”

Littler admitted the return to the stage where he lifted his maiden world title a year earlier felt special as he spoke to the media including DartsNews. “It felt very special. This is my first ever PDC tournament, so it holds a lot of memories for me,” he said. “A win’s a win and that’s the hardest game out of the way.”

Reflecting on his calm demeanour, the teenager revealed he woke up excited rather than nervous. “Even when I woke up this morning, I was excited. I knew I was getting back on stage in front of the fans, so I didn’t put too much pressure on myself — and my performance shows.”

Despite admitting the display “didn’t feel like a 101.5,” Littler said the only priority was getting through the opener. “I wasn’t bothered if I made a statement or what. I just wanted to get past the first round. I’ll take all the positives.”

While he appeared more relaxed on stage, Littler insisted his focus was firmly on getting the job done. “I wanted to have a bit of fun up there as I always do, but I didn’t think there was too much fun going on — it was all business. I just wanted to get past that first round.”

His preparation remained typically laid back. “I just chilled out, played my Xbox. I’d been in Norwich, Croydon and Portsmouth for exhibitions — I was a bit exhausted — but they keep you going. I was also in Finland with Van Gerwen and had brilliant games with him and Nathan Aspinall. I just chilled out leading up to it.” With over a week before his next appearance, Littler plans to relax. “I won’t look back at it. It’s job done. I’ll chill until Tuesday, go watch Man United on Monday, and then put a few hours in.”

Returning as reigning champion didn’t diminish the thrill of arriving at Alexandra Palace. “Driving up the hill is one of the most exciting parts. I wouldn’t want to walk up it, that’s for sure. Very happy I’ve got the job done and that I can come back in ten days.”

Though aware that no player has defended the title for a decade, Littler is staying grounded. “I’m not putting any pressure on myself, but I’d obviously like to do it. Whether it’s Mario (Vandenbogaerde) or Davey (David Davies) next, I’ll be ready.”

Talk has already turned to a blockbuster quarter-final with Gerwyn ‘Gezzy’ Price, but Littler is refusing to look ahead.

“I wasn’t going to read it, but I had a little read of who I could meet. But just take it game by game — see what happens.”

He acknowledged Price would be his biggest potential threat. “Everyone’s a rival — anything can happen. But obviously I think the biggest game would be Gezzy if we were to meet in that quarter-final.”

Littler’s connection to Ally Pally continues to grow. “This is one of the biggest stages of them all. It’s got a special place in my heart and I’m glad to get another victory here.”

He believes his experience is growing quickly after reaching a final and winning the title in his first two campaigns.

“I’m very experienced now with the schedule and the majors. This one’s special. Just glad to get another win — I’ll be back in ten days.”

Littler was also asked about Mitchell Lawrie, the 15-year-old Lakeside World Championship finalist who has drawn comparisons to Littler’s own rise.

“He’s doing his thing. He’s playing well, he’s got a good family around him, and I’m glad Target have got him on board. He’s still so young — he’ll be itching to turn 16 and go on the Development Tour. He’s going to cause some damage.” He admired Lawrie’s mindset. “One thing I liked was when he said he’s Mitchell Lawrie, not Luke Littler.”

The 18-year-old admitted both he and Darius Labanauskas had some scrappy moments, but he was pleased with how he handled them. “We had our awful moments — I think I hit 27 twice, 28 once. The first two sets could have gone either way. Just glad to get the win.” Twice he took out deciding legs, crediting his Grand Prix final victory over Luke Humphries for building that resilience. “The first four sets in that Grand Prix final went to a decider at 2–2 and I won them all. I was thinking, you’ve been in this situation before, so you can do it again. That helped me pick up the first two sets.”

Littler insisted he doesn’t feel weighed down by expectations. “Not really. Once I got the first couple of sets out the way I was pretty relaxed. Still a few slack darts, but I can always pick up on that.”

He also addressed the pre-tournament attention. "We do our media bits, videos, shoots for the sponsors. But once that’s out of the way, we’re here to play darts and do my job.”

And as for the surreal nature of his rapid rise? “It’s crazy what I’ve done. I’ve said to my family we’re still on this crazy rollercoaster, and as long as I keep playing well and they keep backing me, we’re going to stay on it until it ends.”

Littler laughed when asked about a gesture he made after checking out 76 to take the opening set. “Did I? I was just celebrating. I didn’t know what to do because it was such a good shot. But yeah, the 76 to go 1–0 up was a crucial shot.”

Winning the first set, especially against the darts, set the tone. "Darius won the bull in the back room. It was crucial to break his throw and come off after the break 1–0 up.”