Sparkling Luke Littler misses out on Czech Open after stunning semi-final contest

HOPES of a third European Tour title in his maiden year as a darts professional ended in the semi-finals of the Czech Open for Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler.

The Warrington 17-year-old was in sparkling form en route to the semi-finals and even though he was hot again he came up against world champion Luke Humphries in imperious form and was defeated 7-4 in a high-quality tussle in Prague.

Littler’s run to the last four was a record-breaking one, as the teenage superstar produced averages of 110, 116, 110 and 106 across a remarkable weekend of action.

The 6-1 demolition of Nathan Aspinall in round two on Saturday with 128, 88 and 124 combinations produced a tournament record average of 110.

But first up on Sunday the wonderkid beat that as he powered in a 116.51 average to deny Damon Heta in a thrilling last 16 tie .

Littler then dispatched Michael van Gerwen in an epic quarter-final encounter, storming to a 6-1 victory over the Dutchman, who posted an average of 112.19 in defeat – the highest losing average in European Tour history.

Littler averaged 106.73 against Humphries, who was even better at 108.56, in a pulsating game of cat and mouse.

Humphries flew into a 3-0 lead with finishes of 96, 81 and 100 in 11, 12 and 12 darts respectively before Littler got a foothold in the fourth leg.

Each player then held throw until 5-3 when the ninth leg proved to be crucial.

Littler missed four goes at doubles for a chance to break Humphries, who also wobbled and missed four arrows at taking the leg before nailing double one for an 18-dart success and a 6-3 lead.

It felt like a mountain for Littler to climb from their and although he took the 10th leg in 13 darts Humphries held his nerve to seal the deal, before going on to hammer Belgian Kim Huybrechts 8-1 in the final.

Littler revealed that he switched back to his old darts for this tournament.

Having trialled using a new design of darts during the midweek Players Championship events in which he exited early doors, the Premier League champion returned in style to the set-up which he has used for much of an incredible year.

Former Padgate Academy student Littler, who has recently moved into a plush five-bedroom detached home with indoor swimming pool in Appleton, had already secured over the previous 12 European Tour events of 2024 a top-32 finish in the Order of Merit which has sealed his place in the European Championships in Dortmund, Germany, on Thursday.