Sixteen-year-old Luke Littler says he’s “daring to dream” of profitable the World Darts Championship after making historical past by reaching the quarter-finals.
The teenager produced a surprising efficiency to beat his childhood idol Raymond van Barneveld – who’s 40 years his senior – in a last-16 match at Alexandra Palace on Saturday night.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Littler mentioned: “It is an incredible feeling.
“My cowl taking pictures was unbelievable, my doubles acquired me over the road, and I believe I’m daring to dream now. I’ve seen the draw.
“I’m solely three wins away now.
“I’m so young, only 16 and I have got nothing to fear. I have got no-one to fear.
“My sport may be higher than anybody’s on the day and I’ve proven it there towards one of many biggest who’ve graced that stage.
“With performances like that, I can go all the way.”
Littler admitted he had “pictured myself winning it” and mentioned, regardless of solely being within the quarter-finals, “I fancy myself”.
Up subsequent for {the teenager} on New Year’s Day is Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan – who beat two-time champion Gary Anderson in a tense match.
Littler advised Sky Sports: “I do fancy myself, but we have Brendan next. Let’s just focus on Brendan.”
Van Barneveld – a five-time world champion – known as his teenage opponent a “darts robot” after his defeat.
“I didn’t throw that bad at all, but this is not normal. Incredible,” he mentioned.
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Littler, from Warrington, Cheshire, beforehand advised Sky News he began taking part in darts earlier than he was out of nappies.
He mentioned: “There’s a video on YouTube of me when I was 18 months in a nappy listening to Raymond van Barneveld’s music, listening to Phil Taylor’s music, doing their celebrations,” he mentioned.
“That’s when it started – 18 months and in a nappy on a magnetic board.”
Littler received his first match on the PDC World Darts Championship on 20 December, averaging an astonishing 106.12 in his demolition of former Lakeside champion Christian Kist within the first spherical.
He held off a mid-match cost from the skilled Andrew Gilding to knock out the twentieth seed with a 3-1 win within the second spherical.
In the third spherical, Littler beat Canadian Matt Campbell 4 units to at least one to make historical past because the youngest participant to ever attain the last-16 of the event – and is now the youngest participant to succeed in the quarter-finals.
Source: information.sky.com”