The World Championship final is set for Saturday night at Alexander Palace, with teenage sensation Luke Littler facing off against the rising Dutch star, Gian van Veen. Littler, the reigning champion, breezed into his third consecutive final with a 6-1 demolition of Ryan Searle in the last four. The 18-year-old will now take on the 23-year-old Van Veen, who edged out his idol, Gary Anderson, in a thrilling 6-3 semi-final. Both players averaged over 102 and achieved a 170 finish, but it was Van Veen's finishing that secured the win. If Littler triumphs on Saturday, he will become the first man to win back-to-back titles since Anderson a decade ago. The teenage world number one believes that winning the silverware will place him in the same league as Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who dominated the 2000s and 2010s. After his semi-final win, Littler stated, 'I was watching it as a kid. With what I've done, I can say I'm playing just as well, with the titles, the averages, the amount of nine-darters on TV.' However, he remains cautious, never claiming he will win, and emphasizes the unpredictability of darts. If Littler wins again, he'll collect a record £1 million prize, but he prioritizes the trophy over the money. Van Veen, who won the PDC Youth World Championship in November, is now one win away from his maiden senior title, following in the footsteps of Raymond van Barneveld and Van Gerwen. He expressed his happiness, recalling his struggles with dartitis three or four years ago, and how far he's come since then.
