How Luke Littler fared in the World Matchplay first round
After the Warrington 18-year-old annihilated Ryan Searle on the Empress Ballroom stage at Winter Gardens in Blackpool, the world champion revealed he has put 'hours and hours' into practise.
That is not his usual routine, so it tells you everything about the tournament favourite's mindset after what he accepts has been an 'up and down year' so far.
'I've been practising so much, oh yeah,' he said after his 10-2 destruction of the 37-year-old Devonian.
'At home I've been putting in hours and hours and I'm glad it's paid off tonight.'
Littler, who said he had never practised more since turning professional than he has done in preparation for Blackpool, said: 'People will know I'm not a practiser, but I have been practising for this one.
'I was well up for tonight and just wanted to get the win, get the winning feeling, and I did that in some standard.'
Searle could not live with said 'standard' as 'The Nuke' rattled in a 109 average as well as achieving a 53 per cent success rate on the doubles.
The number two seed recorded two ton-plus finishes, with a 126 checkout in leg two the best of his night.
An interesting point to his play was his preference to target double 16 on the left side of the board for his finishes.
He is better known for his accomplished throwing at double 10 on the other side.
Littler explained: 'The way I've been practising, the 10s weren't going in but the 16s were there every time.
'And winning the World Championship on double 16, that's always on my mind that I can hit it.'
More of the seeded players today joined world number one Luke Humphries and Premier League semi-finalist Nathan Aspinall in exiting the tournament in the first round.
Four seeds were sent home during Sunday's afternoon session, with Damon Heta, Rob Cross, Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall all bowing out.
'All eyes are on me now,' said Littler.
'I'll just take it game by game.'
And his next game in the second round will be on Wednesday night against Jermaine Wattimena, who knocked out beat Peter Wright 10-8 in his first-round contest.
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