Littler beats Wade in superb World Matchplay final

Luke Littler has become the fifth player to complete darts' Triple Crown by beating James Wade 18-13 in the World Matchplay final in Blackpool.

The 18-year-old has joined Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries on the list of players to have won the Matchplay, Premier League and World Championship.

Wade, who won the Matchplay in 2007 when his opponent was six months old, raced 5-0 ahead before Littler reeled off five consecutive legs to level the best-of-35-legs contest.

The teenager from Warrington nudged in front for the first time at 7-6 but could not fully shake off his fellow Englishman, 42, during a high-quality final until a run of four straight legs pushed him past the winning line.

Both players posted three-dart averages in excess of 101 and hit more than 40% of their attempts at doubles, while Littler threw 17 180s on his way to securing the Phil Taylor Trophy and £200,000 first prize.

Wade lost 11-2 to Littler in March's UK Open final but refused to be shrugged off on this occasion, keeping in touch with the world champion until the very last.

Littler had fallen 5-0 behind in his semi-final against Josh Rock on Saturday, hitting a nine-dart finish on his way to a 17-14 victory.

Against Wade, 24 years Littler's senior, the second seed found himself trailing by the same deficit at the first interval.

Wade's clinical finishing has been one of his best attributes in two decades challenging for the sport's biggest prizes, and that was in evidence in the early stages.

Back roared Littler, who won seven of the next eight legs thanks to a surge of top-quality form.

Littler maintained the small advantage of a single break of throw for a long spell from then on.

When the left-hander missed three darts at double 10 and Littler moved three legs ahead for the first time in the match at 13-10, Wade broke back immediately with a fine 95 finish.

He then cut the gap to trail 14-13 before Littler powered on again to become the youngest ever Matchplay champion.

The PDC world rankings are calculated using prize money earned from ranking events over a rolling two-year period.

World number two Littler collected £200,000 for his victory in Blackpool, taking him above the £1.5m mark overall.

He is now within £300,000 of world number one Humphries' total of just under £1.8m.

Because Littler did not play in any major events during 2023, any prize money he makes until the World Championship in December will be pure profit for his tally.

Humphries, meanwhile, won three big televised titles towards the end of 2023 before his World Championship final victory against Littler in January 2024.

He will be defending in excess of £400,000 of his prize-money total before the World Championship.

Michael van Gerwen, who is third in the world rankings behind Humphries and Littler, has won close to £740,000 over the past 24 months.