World number one Luke Littler captured his first Players Championship Finals title with a 11-8 victory over fellow Englishman Nathan Aspinall in Minehead.
The 18-year-old, who was beaten in last year’s final by Luke Humphries, added a new trophy to his cabinet just a week after lifting the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton and topping the world rankings for the first time.
Aspinall battled hard in the decider, reducing the deficit to 9-8 at one stage by winning four out of five legs, but Littler held firm and hit a checkout of 88 to secure his sixth televised title.
“I am very proud to get this one ticked off the list – only two more to go now,” Littler told ITV after the win.
The only major trophies missing from Littler’s collection now are the European Championship and the World Masters.
Littler averaged 103.33 to Aspinall’s 93.64 in Sunday’s final though his opponent threw seven maximum 180s – one more than ‘The Nuke’.
“It wasn’t easy to get to this final at all,” Littler said.
“[Aspinall] has been playing really well for a good few weeks now and I had to dig in at the end there. I am glad I got the job done.
“Earlier in my career, I was just trying to be myself but now I am starting to let out a bit of my emotion. I’m looking to the big one next month.”
Earlier in the day, Littler defeated Chris Dobey 10-5 in the last 16 before overcoming top seed and former world champion Gerwyn Price, of Wales, 11-8 to book his place in the final.
Meanwhile, Aspinall had breezed into his seventh major final by beating Jermaine Wattimena of the Netherlands 11-2.
“I don’t know how [Littler] has this energy,” Aspinall said. “He is incredible. What he has done for this game is incredible and I was happy to share that stage with him.”
