Luke Humphries has won the World Championship for the first time in his career with a 7-4 victory over Luke Littler on Wednesday night.
Humphries, who became the new world number one after his semi-final triumph over Scott Williams, trailed 4-2 before he won the final five sets, many of them with averages in excess of 109 to end the contest with a 103.67 average, hitting 25 180s in the process.
There will be disappointment for 16-year-old Littler, who missed a dart to go 5-2 ahead and averaged 101.13 himself, but he has the consolidation of breaking into the world's top 32 and cementing his spot at the top of the sport going forward.
While Littler was able to open up with a 16-dart hold of throw, the youngster was not really a factor in the other three legs as Humphries cruised into the lead, averaging almost a 100 even with eight missed attempts at double.
The second was going the same way as Humphries opened up a 2-0 lead in legs and missed a dart for a 2-0 advantage in sets, only for Littler to roar back with 142 and 120 checkouts to level the contest, averaging 109.23 for the set.
LITTLER HITS BACK!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 3, 2024
From 2-0 down in the second set, Luke Littler has sprung into life!
The Nuke lands a 120 checkout to level at 1-1 in sets!
📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD#WCDarts | Final pic.twitter.com/ed28wBARsv
In the next, the roles were reversed - Littler going 2-0 ahead, missing set darts and seeing Humphries snatch it in a decider - but Littler made no mistake in the next, capitalising on a poor set from Humphries to level things up once again.
Littler remained on the charge in the fifth, taking it 3-1 averaging in excess of 105, and although sweeping through the next extended his lead, Humphries showed character to stop the rot.
Having opened the seventh with a 170 checkout, Humphries survived a dart for a 5-2 lead from Littler to reduce the deficit to 4-3, and that became 4-4 when he took the eighth 3-1 with a 121 checkout to seal it.
HUMPHRIES HANGING IN THERE!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 3, 2024
A dramatic ending to set seven!
Luke Littler misses D2 for a 5-2 lead, allowing Luke Humphries to halve the deficit!
📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD#WCDarts | Final pic.twitter.com/lMUtpwstMP
On the back of 113.22 and 114.17 set averages, Humphries needed 109.1 to edge the the ninth in a decider, helped by back-to-back 108 checkouts earlier in the set.
Back came Littler, though, hitting a 170 checkout to level the 10th, but Humphries impressively held his nerve, taking three of his four double attempts to move one set away from victory.
LUKE HUMPHRIES IS WORLD CHAMPION! 🏆
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 3, 2024
Darting destiny fulfilled.
The world number one gets over the line against teenage sensation Luke Littler in a thrilling final! pic.twitter.com/IP6pPaWndm
The opening four legs of the 11th set went with throw, moving Humphries ever closer to the trophy, and after Littler missed three darts to extend the contest, Humphries checkout out double eight with his second match dart to end his opponent's dream for this year.
Darren Plant
