Littler’s World Number One Bid Stalled by Wade at European Championship
Luke Littler‘s quest to reach the pinnacle of professional darts – the world number one ranking – hit a snag at the European Championship in Dortmund.A thrilling 10-7 defeat to James Wade in the second round temporarily halts his ascent.
luke Humphries, currently holding the top spot, also faced a challenge. He narrowly avoided an upset, securing a 10-9 victory over Cameron Menzies in a deciding leg.
The tournament will conclude Sunday with a packed schedule. Four quarter-finals will take place in the afternoon, followed by the semi-finals and final in the evening session.
Littler, at just 18 years old, had a clear path to perhaps claim the number one ranking in Dortmund. A tournament win would have guaranteed his rise to the top of the PDC Order of Merit.
the match against Wade was a tense affair from the start.Wade initially took a 2-0 lead, but Littler quickly responded, leveling the score to 3-2.
Wade then regained a two-leg advantage, pushing the score to 6-4. However, Littler demonstrated resilience, once again tying the game at 6-6.
Ultimately, Wade seized control, capitalizing on a missed double 10 from Littler to lead 8-7.He then closed out the match with extraordinary finishes of 73 and 108.
Following the match, Wade offered his assessment. He suggested Littler didn’t perform at his usual high standard, stating he felt he could have extended his lead earlier.
Despite both players averaging 97.75, key statistics favored Wade. He demonstrated greater efficiency with checkouts (45.45% vs. Littler’s 33.33%) and consistently scored 100+ points. Littler did manage eight 180s compared to Wade’s three.
Littler has experienced a challenging reception in Germany recently. He has opted out of some tournaments following instances of hostility from the crowd.
notably, both Littler and Humphries were booed during their loss to Germany at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt in June. This atmosphere may have impacted Littler’s performance.
Looking ahead, two notable tournaments remain before the World Championship begins on December 11th. These include the Grand Slam of Darts (November 8-16) and the players Championship Finals (November 21-23), offering Littler further opportunities to climb the rankings.
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