Luke Littler has issued a confident warning to his rivals, stating he believes he can still elevate his game further, despite an emphatic performance that saw him retain his Betfred World Matchplay title. The teenage darts sensation crushed Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool, delivering a display of remarkable consistency and power scoring.
Littler’s victory was underlined by a new record for the World Matchplay final, achieving an astonishing average of 111.53. This impressive figure also lifted his overall tournament average to 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor’s long-standing record of 106.31. Furthermore, the 19-year-old broke his own competition record for maximums, hitting 12 in the final to bring his total for the week to 66.
This latest triumph adds to Littler’s growing collection of silverware in 2026, having already secured the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League, and The Masters titles. Despite his current dominant form, Littler remains focused on improvement. He commented, "I can still get better. I can get a lot better. Through the matches, I was up to a 120 average at one point and I didn’t make it stick. Maybe in a few years’ time I will stick it and go up to a 120 average."
Gerwyn Price, making his first major final appearance since 2022, was unable to match Littler's relentless scoring, despite averaging a respectable 104.97 himself. The Welshman acknowledged Littler's exceptional talent, stating, "Luke is one in a million." Price pointed to crucial missed opportunities, including a 167 bull checkout early in the match, as turning points.
In the Women’s World Matchplay, Beau Greaves secured her third title in four years, overcoming Fallon Sherrock in a tense deciding leg. Greaves clinched the 6-5 victory with a 56 checkout, expressing relief at the close contest. "I knew I had to play well but to hit that last dart was an outpouring of relief," Greaves stated after her hard-fought win.