Luke Littler will start his defence of the Bahrain Darts Masters towards PDC Asian champion Lourence Ilagan, as he prepares to make his first outing as world champion on Thursday night.
The final time Littler confronted the Filipino in November, the roof was virtually raised in Wolverhampton on the Grand Slam of Darts as {the teenager} fell simply in need of a nine-darter, lacking double 12 in an eventual 5-3 victory.
Littler marked his arrival on the worldwide stage with a nine-darter on his solution to victory in Bahrain final 12 months, defeating Michael van Gerwen within the ultimate to triumph on his World Collection debut.
Having additionally defeated Van Gerwen to raise the enduring Sid Waddell Trophy at Alexandra Palace on January 3, the teenage sensation will make his return to motion towards the enigmatic Ilagan.
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Littler intentionally leaves the large fish, however Ilagan had different plans!
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Emma Paton, Mark Webster and Richard Ashdown talk about if Littler can break Phil Taylor’s World Darts Championship titles file of 16
World No 1 Luke Humphries will kick off his marketing campaign towards native qualifier Abdulla Saeed as he bids to return to successful methods following his last-16 exit on the World Darts Championship.
Humphries ran out a 6-0 winner when the pair met on the identical stage of final 12 months’s occasion, and he can be hoping for a repeat efficiency as he maintains his ever-present file in Bahrain.
Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey will characteristic among the many eight PDC representatives this week, and the debutants have been pitted towards Nitin Kumar and Basem Mahmood respectively.
Reigning Masters champion Bunting climbed to a career-high of world No 5 following his run to the World Championship semi-finals, and he’ll make his Bahrain bow towards India’s premier participant Kumar.
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Take a look at a number of the most memorable moments from this 12 months’s World Darts Championship together with Littler’s record-breaking set, some Barrioke and two nine-darters
In the meantime, Dobey, additionally a semi-finalist at Alexandra Palace, faces Bahrain’s Mahmood for a spot within the quarter-finals, as he prepares to compete in his first international World Collection occasion.
2018 world champion Rob Cross faces a troublesome check towards Paolo Nebrida, who defeated Jim Williams and Ross Smith to achieve the third spherical on the World Championship.
Elsewhere, 2021 world champion Gerwyn Worth will meet Hong Kong’s Lok Yin Lee, with 2023 World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall pitted towards PDC China champion Xiaochen Zong.
Peter Wright completes the eight-player PDC line-up. The 2-time world champion will start his marketing campaign towards 2024 PDC Asian Tour Order of Benefit winner Alexis Toylo.
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Highlights of Littler towards Michael van Gerwen within the ultimate of the World Darts Championship
Littler: If I would like Taylor’s file, I can beat it
Littler has been on a meteoric rise since his sensational run to the ultimate of the World Championship in January 2024 and capped choosing up 10 titles in his maiden 12 months on the skilled circuit by claiming the largest prize of all on the second time of asking.
The younger star believes he “has the flexibility” to interrupt Phil ‘The Energy’ Taylor’s astonishing file of 16 world titles.
“Deep down, if I wish to attempt to break the file then I am positive I’ve bought the flexibility to,” Littler mentioned.
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Littler mirrored on his first World Darts Championship win and shared his aspirations to interrupt Taylor’s file
“If I would like it, I am positive I am going to do it. I simply have to preserve going. The calendar is stacked all 12 months spherical.
“I’ve mentioned in earlier interviews, if I win each main title in my profession I will be completely happy, however clearly I would like so as to add to the world titles.”
Watch Premier League Darts 2025 dwell on Sky Sports activities each Thursday from February 6 or stream with NOW.
