Referee Huw Ware had the pleasure of officiating Luke Littler's ascension to the PDC throne - and he knew just what was in store after a breathless first leg

Luke Littler has revealed he hopes to be world No 1 by the end of the year following his recent triumph at the World Darts Championship. The 17-year-old thrashed Michael van Gerwen 7-3 at Alexandra Palace last week to become the latest winner of the Sid Waddell trophy.

Luke Littler has become the youngest world champion in darts history after the 17-year-old Englishman lived up to his billing as Britain’s latest sporting superstar.

It was an emotional, and seemingly inevitable, weekend for teenage darts phenom Luke Littler. The 17-year-old defeated Michael van Gerwen, one of the game’s greatest players, 7-3 in the PDC World Darts Championship final on Friday night to become the youngest world champion in the history of the sport.

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The 17-year-old Littler brilliantly beat Van Gerwen 7-3 with an average of almost 103 as he went one better than 12 months ago

Luke Littler says there is a target on his back now he is world champion as he prepares to launch a defence of his Premier League darts title next month.