Luke Littler continued his sensational rise by clinching the Blåkläder Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp on Sunday, edging Josh Rock 8-7 to secure his fourth European Tour title and fifth ranking crown of the season. Already a winner in Belgium earlier this year, the 18-year-old completed a Belgian double with another standout performance at the Antwerp Xpo.
Rock stormed into a 4-1 lead in the final, but Littler responded in style, winning five of the next six legs to move to the brink of victory. A brilliant 161 checkout from Rock briefly extended the contest, yet Littler sealed the title with an 11-dart leg moments later.
“I think I started off okay, I wasn’t the quickest away, my cover shooting, my doubles, they all went well!
When Josh [Rock] hit the 161 checkout, it wasn’t a good feeling, but then I knew all I had to do was break the throw and win the game.
Ever since I started playing darts I have always loved a last-leg decider. I back myself with or without the darts but I knew I had to go out in eleven there.”
Reflecting on his success in Belgium, Littler added:“The European tour stage, I love it. I love coming here [Belgium] and I’ve said for the past year now that we need a Premier League event here.
They love me here, I love them…
This is it now. From now it’s back-to-back with tournaments, September and October are some of the craziest months of the calendar, I know how to deal with that and know what’s coming up.”
Littler’s run included wins over Ryan Searle, Damon Heta and Daryl Gurney, while Rock impressed on his route to a second European Tour final. Despite missing out, Rock remained upbeat:
“That performance is why he [Littler] is going to be number one soon and that’s why he is the World Champion… I’m happy with my weekend!”
Source: PDC.TV
