World Darts Championship Final: Luke Littler eyes greatness ahead of final against Gian van Veen

There is no doubt that Littler is positioned to dominate the world of darts for years to come.

But who, if anyone, can stop him?

Luke Humphries is often seen as the most likely.

But while the 2024 world champion is capable of reaching nowhere near the form shown by Littler, the teenager has been hitting his mark recently, with convincing victories in the World Grand Prix Finals and the Grand Slam Finals of Darts.

Maybe he’s the guy who efficiently defeated Humphreys in the World Series quarterfinals?

Van Veen’s 5-1 win was one that simply could not be ignored, and he backed it up with an impressive win over Gary Anderson in a classic semi-final.

The 23-year-old’s campaign at Alexandra Palace, who has never previously won a match in the Championship, comes on the back of an impressive year.

Van Veen is a two-time World Youth Champion, having lost to Littler in the 2023 final, and claimed his first major PDC title with a win at the European Championships in October.

The confidence he gained from this victory has raised his level even further, and he is now one win away from becoming the third Dutchman to lift the Sid Waddell Cup.

Van Veen has looked like the potential champion over the past few weeks, consistently averaging over 100 points and finishing nerveless on the biggest stage.

It’s a far cry from his previous struggles with dartitis – a condition that prevents a player from shooting his arrows.

“I remember three or four years ago I was at Barnsley in the Metrodome suffering from dartitis and crying at the table,” Van Veen told Sky Sports after his win over Anderson.

“Now look at me four years later. It was all worth it. It was all worth it because we’re here – unbelievable.”