Luke Littler gives heckling verdict and bold claim after Australian Darts Masters win
Darts star Luke Littler was on cloud nine as he headed for the land of the long white cloud, warning: "I've got that winning feeling back."
After backing up his triumph at the World Matchplay last month with a World Series title at the Australian Darts Masters, Luke the Nuke is close to his imperious best. And following a five-month gap on his trophy rampage between the UK Open and a series of breathtaking comeback wins in Blackpool, Littler's renewed scoring power looks like giving him first dibs at the maiden £1 million prize jackpot in darts.
Littler, 18, heads for Friday's New Zealand Darts Masters already installed as heavy favourite to retain his PDC World Championship crown at Alexandra Palace in December, where the Sid Waddell Trophy comes with the sport's first seven-figure payday. His Nukeship was feeding kangaroos and cuddling koalas with girlfriend Faith Millar in Sydney - but four months out, it's already clear he will be the beast to tame at Ally Pally.
Littler said: "Other players go through these spells, but as a world champion you need to be winning things, and it took five months to taste that winning feeling again.
"But winning the World Matchplay meant everything to me and now, to back it up in Australia, I've got that winning feeling back in me. It's a different feeling when you are world champion, but winning gives you confidence - and this is the most confident I've felt in a very long time.
"After travelling all this way I wanted to win, especially after falling short in the final last year (when he was thrashed 8-1 by Gerwyn Price). Losing any final always motivates you and makes you want to come back and go one step further."
Once he had shaken off the jetlag, Littler looked in command as he conquered Oz by beating home favourite Damon Heta, Stephen Bunting and then Mike De Decker 8-4 in the final.
He was noticeably more at ease with any heckling among the crowd - a distraction he had found difficult to overcome in Germany at the World Cup of Darts and an earlier European Tour event in Munich.
Littler said: "The first time I hear something I might react, but then I'll just let it go and hopefully allow my darts to do the talking. Someone in the crowd here said I'm 'washed' - I'm not sure exactly what he meant by that, but this (trophy) is my response.
"No-one has been teaching me how to deal with it (heckling). When you're on that stage, you're alone and no-one else is with you, no-one else is going to help you. You've just got to get on with it.
"I was trailing in most games at the World Matchplay but I managed to dig myself out, but I was in the lead a few times here and felt very comfortable."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Ibiza ‘Final Boss' Jack Kay parties at £9m mansion in Ibiza with bikini girls & dwarf from Lamine Yamal's birthday party
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IBIZA "Final Boss" Jack Kay has hosted a huge late night party with dozens of bikini girls and a dwarf from Lamine Yamal's birthday bash. The British social media megastar spent the weekend celebrating his new found fame at a £9million mansion in Ibiza. 8 Ibiza 'Final Boss' Jack Kay has hosted a huge late night party with dozens of bikini girls and a dwarf from Lamine Yamal's birthday bash Credit: Instagram 8 The British social media megastar spent the weekend celebrating his new found fame at a £9million mansion in Ibiza Credit: Instagram 8 Juan Alberto Duaso. one of five dwarfs at Yamal's birthday bash, dressed up like Jack for an appearance in Ibiza Credit: Instagram 8 Jack even took a dip in the mansion's swimming pool as he held a girl up on his shoulders Credit: Instagram Jack, 26, found viral fame last week when a video of him dancing on the party island racked up millions of views. His unique brown bob trim stole the show as he was quickly dubbed the "Ibiza Final Boss" for his raver style and look. The Newcastle-based lad was later flown out to Spain in a luxury £5million private jet with four of his mates to the upmarket Santa Eulalia region. There he stayed in the mega five-bedroom mansion, The Blue Stone Villa. Sat tucked away in the hills of Ibiza, the glitzy gaff comes with a large outdoor swimming pool, private chef and its own indoor nightclub. There's even a barbecue, DJ booth and state-of-the-art surround sound system with unrivalled privacy for all guests. Jack's new found fame was on full display on Saturday as he invited 100 of his fans, who he described as "charvas", to the villa. Popular DJs Deniz Menendez and Rsquared performed for the surging crowds all as Jack embraced the party vibes. Pictures show the tattooed Brit in a white vest and black shorts with his trademark shades and thick chain clutching a vape. Next to him stood several tanned, blonde beauties. Ibiza 'Final Boss' Jack Kay's barber tells ALL about viral star's legendary bob cut after his return from Spain Just 24 hours later, the partying continued for Jack as he hosted a second bumper event at the holiday home with a host of new mates. One of those who made an appearance has already made headlines this summer after he was a part of FC Barcelona star Yamine Yamal's 18th birthday party. The teen sensation landed himself in hot water and is reportedly facing a government investigation after he allegedly hired people with dwarfism to perform. Juan Alberto Duaso says he was one of five dwarfs at the bash with him now making an appearance alongside Jack in Ibiza. Duaso was filmed sporting a bowl cut wig and mirroring Jack as the influencer described him as a "mini" version of himself. A video of the pair dancing was captioned: "The final boss and the mini boss out tonight, see you soon." After Yamal's alleged stunt, disability rights groups ordered a crackdown on celebrities hiring people with dwarfism. Laws in Spain prohibit the public exposure or criticism of a person due to their disability if it is aimed at humiliating or mocking them for entertainment. 8 Jack spent the weekend celebrating his new found fame with drinks, women and his friends Credit: Instagram 8 Jack's fame kicked off when a video of him dancing in Ibiza went viral Credit: TikTok/@zerosixwestibiza 8 Jack has already landed a management company and a trip on a private jet in the wake of the new fame Credit: Instagram/@ In July, the Spanish government tightened these regulations with fines now reaching over £518,000. At the time Duaso responded by blasting rights groups for "taking away work" from dwarves. Footage from the Sunday night shenanigans show Duaso and Jack dancing around a bucket of drinks next to girls in bikinis and fellow Ibiza boys. A notable omission from the guest list across both nights was Jack's rumoured girlfriend Alisha Cook. Unimpressed Alisha, 23, is said to have pulled the plug on their relationship days into Jack's fateful Ibiza trip as she was sick of him partying with the lads, according to pals. The pair have reconciled in recent days - but Jack is still "skating on thin ice", according to sources speaking to the MailOnline. A friend said: "It's hard to believe that he's been branded the super king of Ibiza - the final boss - when she's been left on her own back here." Jack is enjoying a jam-packed schedule back on the party island after signing up with top celeb talent agency Neon Management. He joins the ranks of Joey Essex and Love Island's Harriet and Ronnie on their books. A source told The Sun: 'Signing up with the agency was a no-brainer given their past success and they've been inundated with requests for him already. Final Boss' barber spills the secrets behind the trim By Patrick Harrington ALI Kurbani, master-barber at B&D Barbers in Blaydon, Newcastle, welcomed Jack into the chair before he jetted back for a tour round Ibiza. He told the Sun that he was baffled to see his handiwork hitting the headlines. Ali said: "I have been doing this job a while now and this is amazing. "We have cut Jack's hair for around ten years and we didn't expect this." Ali, from Kurdistan, said that Jack has kept the same cut for a while. After wild speculation online about the style Jack requests - from Robin Hood to a bowl-cut or "short back and Battle of Hastings" - Ali gave us the truth. He said: "To get this style, Jack asks for a medium skin fade and then a bit of length of the top. But the key to creating the crisp Lego-like shape is to "keep the fringe sharp at the front," he said. B&D Barbers charges £26 for the Ibiza Boss special - but being a "very nice guy" Jack sometimes pays over the odds. Ali's cut said: "It made me very happy when I saw the video had gone viral but it was a shock. "I am very happy about it all and Jack is a very nice guy. "It is great to see this happen for our business. I think he is going to keep the style." "It all really blew up in a matter of hours so from TV shows to podcasts - the sky's the limit." Jack first shot to fame this week when a video of him grooving on the party island gained millions of views. With a shiny helmet of hair, a chunky gold chain, huge rave shades and bright white teeth - his look immediately caught attention. His lid has been compared to a range of pop-culture icons from Ringo Starr to Friar Tuck and a Lego man. A flood of memes followed - and the "Ibiza Final Boss" born. After becoming one of the most famous faces in Ibiza, Jack dramatically revealed his true identity in a video for The Ibiza Times. Sporting a thick Geordie accent, he declared: "I am the Ibiza final boss. Jack Kay. Get to know." Ibiza Final Boss in talks for huge ITV reality show THE Ibiza Final Boss has been in talks to join Big Brother after being inundated with TV offers. After taking the internet by storm, raver Jack Kay has taken on a top manager to handle the deluge of showbiz interest. His viral fame caught the eye of ITV2's Big Brother casting team and led to conversations about him joining the upcoming series. A source said: 'The Ibiza Final Boss has really captured the nation's imagination and is exactly the kind of character that makes for a fun Big Brother housemate. "Bosses had talks with his management, it is very late in the casting process for housemates but everyone thought worth a chat whether it be in time for this series, even as part of a task, or for the future. 'Jack's reps Neon Management have been inundated with offers for him so he's certainly going to be busy for at least the next few months. 'They've seen an unprecedented level of interest in him, and that's the nation loves him.' It comes after the lad revealed he was going on a nightclub tour to cash in on his fame.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Brit TV legend cancels string of gigs saying he's ‘very busy and tired'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRIT TV legend pulls plug on tour dates, admits he's 'very busy and tired' - leaving fans disappointed but understanding. The 79-year-old has postponed his national tour just weeks before it was set to kick off. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Brian Cox has postponed his solo tour, "It's All About Me" Credit: Alamy 3 He is currently starring in Make it Happen as Adam Smith in Edinburgh Credit: Alamy The acclaimed actor, recently back in the spotlight thanks to his powerhouse role in the HBO TV drama Succession, revealed the tough decision to cancel his upcoming gigs. Brian Cox, known for his commanding presence on both screen and stage, said the hectic schedule and exhaustion have forced him to take a step back - much to the disappointment of devoted fans. The Succession star was ready to launch his 18-date one-man show — It's All About Me! — starting 1 October at Northampton's Royal & Derngate Theatre, but now fans will have to wait a little longer. Brian told BBC Newscast: "I just thought I'll do it sometime, [October is] just too soon." He also confirmed he's gearing up to take his directorial debut, Glenrothan, to the Toronto Film Festival next month - adding even more to his already packed diary. He said: "It's been very busy and I just thought 'I can't be doing it.'" The Royal & Derngate said its box office would be in touch with any ticket holders, and it was hopeful the show would be rescheduled in 2026. The tour was set to roll into the Corn Exchange in Ipswich on October 3 and the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea on October 20. On launching the tour, Cox said: 'I am looking forward to this tour as it marks something a little different for me - sharing the stage with myself. "As the title indicates, the show will focus more than ever on my life and career. In the second half, the tables are turned and the audience will have the chance to put their questions to me. It should be a lot of fun.' Cox has also been keeping busy treading the boards in Make It Happen in Edinburgh — a new musical delving into the Royal Bank of Scotland collapse and government bailout, with the star taking on the role of free market economics founder Adam Smith. The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning star is also known for his role in the film Manhunter and his stage work with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). The Scottish actor trained at Dundee Rep Theatre before moving on to perform with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, the Royal National Theatre and the RSC, where he gained acclaim for playing King Lear. The news comes after Cox — who first wowed Edinburgh audiences with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company back in 1965 — hit headlines for speaking out on the current state of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. At a UK Government gathering of cultural leaders at the newly revamped Filmhouse cinema, Cox used the launch of a fresh partnership between the Scotland Office and the Fringe Society to urge a shake-up of Edinburgh's world-famous festivals. 'I sort of find myself in a really weird position,' he told The Herald. 'Everybody's talking about art. I want to talk about practical matters — about how we coordinate everything.' While admitting that a bit of 'chaos' has always been part of the Fringe and International Festival's charm, Cox warned that poor coordination between the two was starting to undermine their success. 'The problem about chaos is it's chaotic,' he quipped, blasting competing box offices and clashing schedules as major headaches for performers and audiences alike. 'There needs to be greater coordination, just practically, in order to make things function properly.' Cox stressed that the real magic lies in the work itself — how it's seen and how people pay for it — not in the organisational mayhem. 'At the moment, half the charm of Edinburgh is its chaos, but that's only half the charm,' he said. He urged organisers to 'think of a way of really coordinating events a bit more than we do, so we can practically deal with stuff that is a little impractical at the moment. "It's just not good enough, quite frankly. "Bugger the art — I'm really worried about bringing it all together properly, without chaos or chaoticness.'
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
‘I will smoke him easy' – Oleksandr Usyk called out by 20st powerhouse who left Ukrainian ‘bleeding everywhere'
Usyk's former sparring partner was once seen as the boogeyman of the heavyweight division SMOKE SHOW 'I will smoke him easy' – Oleksandr Usyk called out by 20st powerhouse who left Ukrainian 'bleeding everywhere' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OLEKSANDR USYK has received a chilling warning from one of his former sparring partners, who claims he left him a bloody mess after some hard rounds. The undefeated Ukrainian further etched his name into the boxing history books last month with a stunning stoppage of Brit Daniel Dubois at Wembley. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Oleksandr Usyk became a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion last month Credit: AP 4 The Ukrainian sensationally stopped Daniel Dubois to further etch his name into the history books Credit: REUTERS 4 Former sparring partner Martin Bakole reckons he's got the beating of the pound-for-pound king Credit: INSTAGRAM@MARTIN_BAKOLE_ Usyk's fifth-round KO of Triple D saw him become a two-time undisputed ruler of the heavyweight division and THREE-TIME undisputed champion. Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dubois have all failed to get the better of Usyk in their combined SIX cracks at the slick southpaw. But former sparring partner Martin Bakole insists he's got the beating of the Olympian. Recalling their spars in an interview with Seconds Out, the Congolese clubber said: "To be honest, Usyk knows himself, every time I go there to spar him I always give him trouble. READ MORE BOXING NEWS 'SLUG IT OUT' Piers Morgan issues Jake Paul post as boxer hires lawyer over 'fix' claims "They only give me two rounds. That two rounds is hell. He knows. "When I was sparring the first time, I was giving him a hard time, he starts shouting, went mad, jumped out of the ring, started shouting at his coach. "I never said this before but ask his team, they know, he was bleeding everywhere. And that was the first time. 'They called me again in Dubai, and I only did two rounds. But in that two rounds, he was in trouble. SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN 'You just run out of things to say' – Usyk is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen OLEKSANDR USYK is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen. The Ukrainian battered a gallant but completely outclassed Daniel Dubois in their Wembley rematch to become a three-time undisputed champion. Two of those came at heavyweight after he had already cleaned up the cruiserweight division. You just run out of things to say about Usyk. Everything that he does just impresses you more and more and more. Read the full comment piece on the Ukrainian's stunning KO victory. "So he knows that Martin Bakole, in a fight, I will smoke him easy. "These people know, that's why they're quiet.' Lennox Lewis- I would have beaten the count that settled Daniel Dubois' KO loss to OIeksandr Usyk Bakole claims Usyk tried to downplay the outcome of one of their spars during a recent Ring Magazine event. The 32-year-old said: "He was over my shoulder saying, 'Hey that was sparring.' "No, he got knocked out. 'Even though I stopped him there is no story to tell. It's true. "I tell you I beat him like a baby, he was out of the ring, his coach was asking what to do, and he couldn't do it. "So he knows that Martin Bakole, in a fight, I will smoke him easy." Martin Bakole on Oleksandr Usyk 4 Martin Bakole claims Oleksandr Usyk was left 'bleeding' after one of their spars Credit: NSTAGRAM@MARTIN_BAKOLE_ "They started speaking Ukrainian and I kept standing in the ring, he got out, then about three or four minutes he came back again. 'Usyk, I always say this, people say I'm crazy, but the only man who can stop Usyk right now is Martin Bakole.' Bakole - who was once seen as the boogeyman of the heavyweight division - has to get back in the win column before he can think about sharing the ring with Usyk. The man mountain was brutally knocked out in his short-notice showdown with Joseph Parker in February. And he fought Efe Ajagba to a lacklustre draw in their African clash in May.
