Luke Littler acknowledged that he won’t match the enduring career of Paul Lim after defeating the 71-year-old darts icon to advance to the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Masters. Littler secured a convincing 6-1 victory in his latest match following his recent triumph at the World Darts Championship.
The 18-year-old sensation displayed top form, maintaining an average score of over 106 to overcome his adversary, who is 53 years his senior. Littler impressed the audience with a remarkable 170 ‘Big Fish’ check-out and is now set to face Gerwyn Price in the next stage of the competition, as Price defeated Motomu Sakai 6-3.
The match between Littler and Lim was played in a friendly atmosphere, with the two-time world champion commending his opponent afterward. Lim expressed admiration for Littler’s skill and questioned when he might retire, noting his enduring strength in practice sessions.
Reflecting on his victory, Littler noted the challenging competition Lim presented and expressed gratitude for his win. He highlighted the significance of starting the new season in Bahrain on a positive note by aiming for a title.
Littler, currently ranked as the world No.1, competed just 12 days after clinching the Sid Waddell Trophy and securing consecutive world championship titles, a feat not achieved since Gary Anderson’s victory a decade ago. Despite initially trailing, Littler dominated the match against Gian van Veen, winning 7-1 to claim the trophy along with a £1 million prize, celebrating with £150 worth of pizza.
In other matches, Luke Humphries defeated Abdulla Saeed 6-0, Van Veen overcame Man Lok Leung 6-2, Michael van Gerwen bested Alexis Toylo, Nathan Aspinall narrowly defeated Lourence Ilagan, and defending champion Stephen Bunting outplayed Ryusei Azemoto to progress in the Bahrain tournament.
Following Bahrain, the darts circuit moves to Saudi Arabia, offering Littler and fellow players a new opportunity to increase their earnings. Participants have a chance to win $200,000 (£149,000) by achieving a nine-dart finish followed by a ‘Golden Bull’ in Riyadh.
The World Series of Darts is making its inaugural visit to Saudi Arabia, where eight PDC Tour representatives will compete against eight Asian Tour representatives. A substantial $100,000 (£74,700) prize awaits any player who hits a nine-darter, with the unique opportunity to double the winnings by throwing one ‘golden’ dart at the bullseye.