Luke Littler acknowledged that he won’t match the enduring career of Paul Lim after defeating the 71-year-old darts veteran to advance to the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Masters. Littler breezed through with a 6-1 victory in his first appearance following his recent World Darts Championship win.
The 18-year-old sensation displayed no signs of rust, maintaining an average score of over 106 to overcome his opponent, who is 53 years his senior. Littler delighted the audience with a remarkable 170 ‘Big Fish’ checkout and is now set to face Gerwyn Price in the next round after Price’s 6-3 win over Motomu Sakai.
The match between Littler and Lim was played in a friendly atmosphere, with the two-time world champion praising his opponent post-game. Lim expressed admiration for Littler’s skill and questioned when he might retire, highlighting Littler’s consistent performance.
Reflecting on his victory, Littler commented on the competitive spirit of the World Championships and expressed his joy at starting the new season on a high note with a title win in Bahrain. Additionally, Littler, the current world No.1, continued his winning streak by clinching the Sid Waddell Trophy, securing consecutive world championship titles for the first time in a decade.
In other matches, Luke Humphries dominated Abdulla Saeed 6-0, Michael van Gerwen overcame Alexis Toylo, and defending champion Stephen Bunting defeated Ryusei Azemoto to progress in the tournament.
Following Bahrain, the darts circuit moves to Saudi Arabia, offering players like Littler an opportunity to increase their earnings through a unique challenge. Competitors have the chance to win $200,000 (£149,000) by hitting a nine-dart finish followed by a ‘Golden Bull’ in Riyadh the following week.
The World Series of Darts will make its debut in Saudi Arabia, featuring a showdown between eight PDC Tour representatives and eight Asian Tour representatives. A lucrative $100,000 (£74,700) prize awaits any player who achieves a nine-darter, with the chance to double it by aiming for the ‘Golden Bull.’