Legend John Part says teenager Luke Littler has to live with “ridiculous” levels of pressure as he bids to win his maiden World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Littler came within millimetres of a nine-dart finish as he beat Ryan Meikle in record-breaking fashion on Saturday night.
The 17-year-old was back on the big stage 12 months on from his remarkable debut run to the final and showed everyone why he is the favourite to win the title this year.
Littler was a breath away from darting perfection when he missed a double 12 but threw a stunning 140.91 average in the final set to win 3-1.
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The teenager claimed the final set against Meikle in just 32 darts to advance to the third round
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Littler reflected on his 3-1 win over Ryan Meikle in his World Championship Darts opener
That is the record for the highest average in a single set at the world championship as the Warrington ace continues to break barriers.
The win was extremely emotional for Littler, who cut his onstage interview short after breaking down in tears.
“I don’t think anyone can understand how much pressure he has on him,” Part told Sky Sports. “There might be a few people that played the game that might understand it, but certainly no one’s ever had to deal with it at his age.
“Just the overwhelming amount of demands on his time and any chance of him not performing, I think that really weighs on him. I’m sure there’s so much relief for him.
“I’m sure he’s disappointed about missing a nine-darter, but I don’t think that has anything to do with the release at the end. I think it’s healthy enough.
“You have a lot of emotion built up there, and you have to control that while you’re playing. That’s why he’s a winner. You know what, if he needs to have a little time to himself after, then that’s fine.”
Littler arrived at the tournament as the biggest name in the sport and ‘The Nuke’ booked his return to Ally Pally after Christmas against Ritchie Edhouse or Ian White in the third round.
“He has been having fun, probably going to all these new places, playing these tournaments he hasn’t played before, winning a lot of them, playing a lot of matches,” Part continued. “If you like playing darts, playing a lot of matches is fun.
“He has been having a great time, but I think the whole reality of what he’s done for the game that started at last year’s World Championship finally kind of came crashing down on him after winning.
“It’s great that it wasn’t after a loss, because it just wouldn’t even seem fair after all he’s done for the game.
“It occurred to me watching Luke that none of his experiences playing matches last year are of any help to him, I don’t think, because I think he’s a whole different player now. He has different expectations for himself and from his opponents, what they’re going to do against him.
“There was a sort of awkwardness last year, playing a then 16-year-old and players didn’t know what to make of it. ‘Am I going to be embarrassed if I lose, maybe?’ Those old-fashioned ideas, right? Not this year – he’s the tournament favourite.
“He is the darts god in a lot of people’s eyes that they’ve been waiting for. That’s so much to live up to for him. I just think this was the first experience of what his real professional career is at world championships.
“The expectation levels, the ridiculous level of pressure that he’s going to have to live with. It won’t go away, it’ll be every time he plays, but he’ll become conditioned, I’m sure.”
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