Luke Littler celebrated his seventh PDC title of 2024 on Wednesday, closing out an 8-6 victory against emerging Dutchman Wessel Nijman in a thrilling Players Championship 15 final.
Littler made a terrific start to this week’s treble-header in Milton Keynes, becoming the first player to win multiple Players Championship titles in 2024. The teenage sensation won the year’s opening Players Championship event in February, which initiated a remarkable sequence of 14 winners from as many events. However, the 17-year-old halted that run at the Marshall Arena, overturning a 6-5 deficit against an in-form Nijman to deny the Dutchman his first senior PDC title.
Route to Victory
Littler, making his first appearance since his first-round defeat at the World Matchplay, began his campaign with consecutive ton-plus averages in wins over Boris Krcmar and Pascal Rupprecht. The Warrington wonderkid then dispatched Jonny Clayton to book his place in the last 16. He followed this by closing out a brace of 6-4 victories against Rhys Griffin and Krzysztof Ratajski to reach the last four.
In the semi-finals, Littler continued his charge with a crushing 7-2 success against his stablemate Chris Dobey, averaging 103 to set up a showdown against Nijman.
The Final Showdown
Trailing 2-0 in the final, Nijman reeled off four straight legs, including a spectacular 160 checkout, to seize the initiative. Littler responded with legs of 13 and 11 darts to restore parity at four apiece. The match then saw a series of four successive breaks of throw, with Nijman missing two darts for a 7-5 lead, allowing Littler to triumph in the closing stages.
“I know what Wessel is capable of,” insisted Littler, who maintains his incredible record of winning a title every month this year. “I’ve seen him dominate the last weekend of the Development Tour, but it was a good final, and I’m happy to be the only player with two [Players Championship] titles this year! I’ve not really picked up a dart since the World Matchplay, so to come here and win is even better. I’ve got to back myself to win almost everything. With the standard of the other players I probably can’t do that, but I’d love to win another major title this year.”
Nijman’s Impressive Run
Fresh from his dominance on the Winmau Development Tour, Nijman continued his rise by advancing to his maiden ProTour final. The 24-year-old won a hat-trick of Development Tour titles at the Marshall Arena last weekend. He marked his return to Milton Keynes with a series of top-class displays, producing a quartet of ton-topping averages to race through to the last eight.
Nijman overcame compatriots Christian Kist and Gian van Veen, before defeating Graham Hall and Darren Beveridge. He then edged out Gary Anderson in a compelling quarter-final clash and later defied a 104 average from Damon Heta to emerge through a high-quality last-four tussle.
Other Notable Performances
- Damon Heta: Recorded eye-catching 108 and 112 averages in dispatching Ritchie Edhouse and Stefan Bellmont, conceding just eight legs in progressing to the semi-finals.
- Chris Dobey: Landed a trio of ton-topping averages on his way to pocketing £5,000 in prize money, averaging 107 and 105 to see off Jermaine Wattimena and Mike De Decker, having also eliminated world number one Luke Humphries in the last 16.
- Gary Anderson: Delivered the performance of the day with an astronomical 123.83 average in his third-round demolition of Andrew Gilding. Anderson reeled off legs of 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, and 13 darts to cap off an inspired display before succumbing in the last eight.
- Ross Smith: Averaged 113.23 in his opening-round victory against Maik Kuivenhoven.
- Raymond van Barneveld: Landed a hat-trick of 100+ averages in his run to the last 16, only to be denied by Anderson.
Upcoming Event
The 2024 PDC ProTour season continues with Players Championship 16 on Thursday. Coverage will be broadcast live through PDCTV and bookmakers’ websites worldwide.
Match Results
Last 16
- Stefan Bellmont 6-4 Cameron Menzies
- Damon Heta 6-3 Lee Evans
- Wessel Nijman 6-2 Darren Beveridge
- Gary Anderson 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
- Luke Littler 6-4 Rhys Griffin
- Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Alan Soutar
- Chris Dobey 6-4 Luke Humphries
- Mike De Decker 6-3 Danny Noppert
Quarter-Finals
- Damon Heta 6-1 Stefan Bellmont
- Wessel Nijman 6-5 Gary Anderson
- Luke Littler 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Chris Dobey 6-1 Mike De Decker
Semi-Finals
- Wessel Nijman 7-5 Damon Heta
- Luke Littler 7-2 Chris Dobey
Final
- Luke Littler 8-6 Wessel Nijman
