World Darts Championship final: Luke Littler eyes greatness before final against Gian van Veen

There is no doubt that Littler is in a position to dominate the darts world for years to come.

But who can stop him, if anyone exists?

Luke Humphries is generally seen as the most likely man.

But while the 2024 world champion is capable of reaching anywhere near the level shown by Littler, the youngster has achieved that number recently with convincing victories in the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Dart finals.

Perhaps the man who defeated Humphries so effectively in the quarter-finals of the World Championship?

Van Veen’s 5-1 victory was one that could not be ignored and Van Veen backed it up with a stunning victory over Gary Anderson in the classic semi-final.

Having previously failed to win a match in the competition, the 23-year-old’s run at Alexandra Palace follows a breakthrough year.

Van Veen is a two-time World Junior champion, losing to Littler in the 2023 final and claiming his first major PDC title with victory at the European Championships in October.

The confidence he gained from this victory has taken his game even further and he is now one win away from becoming the third Dutchman to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.

Van Veen has looked every bit the potential champion over the last few weeks, consistently averaging over 100 and finishing nervelessly on the biggest stage.

This is a far cry from his previous struggles with dartitis, a condition that prevents the player from throwing darts.

“I remember three or four years ago at the Metrodome in Barnsley battling dartboards and crying on a table,” Van Veen told Sky Sports after beating Anderson.

“Look at me now, four years later. It was all worth it. It was all worth it because we’re here — it’s incredible.”