Luke Littler: World champion suffers shock defeat to Beau Greaves in World Youth Championship

Beau Greaves became the first woman to reach a World Junior Championship final after winning a 6-5 thriller against Luke Littler.

Littler qualified for the tournament in Wigan after defeating world number one Luke Humphries 6-1 in the World Grand Prix final on Sunday.

The 18-year-old successfully completed his three matches in the round-robin phase of the event, defeating Dutchman Jeffrey Keen, Icelandic Alexander Thorvaldsson and Belgian Matthias Moors.

However, the world champion had a below-par performance in the last 16 against fellow Englishman Charlie Manby.

On the verge of losing 5-3 to the 20-year-old, Littler rediscovered his talent in the quarter-finals, beating Dutchman Jamai van den Herik 6-1 before winning the next three legs.

Warrington teenager Littler fell 2-1 down to Greaves in the semi-final but came back to dominate by winning three legs in a row.

But Greaves, a three-time WDF women’s world champion who is set to accept her PDC Tour card for 2026-27, rallied to level the match at 4-4, 5-5.

Greaves then fired an 11-dart leg to blast Littler in the decider – with the 21-year-old from Doncaster sealing victory with 80 points.

The 23-year-old Dutchman will face reigning champion Gian van Veen in the final next month after beating Polish Sebastian Bialecki 6-4 in the other semi-final.

The World Junior Championship final will be played in Minehead on 23 November, before the Players Championship final on the same day.

Littler, who averaged 107.4 to Greaves’ 105, posted on Instagram after his defeat: “Fair play to Beau. Best wishes at Minehead. Some talent.”

Players aged 16-24 are eligible to participate in the World Junior Championship.

Littler won the junior title in 2023 at the age of 16, a few weeks before turning heads with a runner-up finish at the 2024 World Championships.