Luke Littler produced a performance for the ages on Sunday night in Milton Keynes, defeating Luke Humphries in a gripping deciding-set epic to secure his maiden Winmau World Masters title at Arena MK. The world’s top two players delivered an all-time classic, with Littler fighting back from 5-4 down in sets to deny the defending champion and collect the £100,000 top prize.
Humphries looked on course to retain his crown after overturning a 3-1 deficit and producing sustained heavy scoring, including a 105.51 match average. Littler, however, refused to yield, showcasing ruthless combination finishing and nerve under pressure to force a deciding set before sealing victory in consecutive legs. “I’m absolutely shattered after that,” admitted Littler. “Going into the last break at 5-4 down I said to myself: ‘I’ve got nothing left’, but I managed to dig deep… this is why we battle, every game, every leg, and I’ve come out victorious.”
The 19-year-old’s triumph capped a demanding week, having survived match darts against Mike De Decker before defeating Ross Smith, Josh Rock, and Gerwyn Price en route to the final. Humphries, meanwhile, impressed throughout the tournament, averaging over 101 in all five of his matches and producing dominant wins to reach the decider. Reflecting on the final, he said: “Of course I’m gutted not to win it, but you have to take the positives… Luke showed his true class there. He never folds under pressure.”
With the World Masters decided, attention now turns to the BetMGM Premier League, which begins in Newcastle on Thursday February 5, where both stars will resume their rivalry on the sport’s biggest stage.
Source: PDC.TV
