FIRED UP Luke Littler cannot wait to go to “war” with Luke Humphries this weekend in the latest battle of the Lukes of Hazard.
Four times this year, the best two players in the world have met in a PDC TV final.
Humphries, 30, claimed victory in the Premier League in May but The Nuke, 18, responded by lifting the New Zealand Darts Masters, the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts.
That latest tournament victory, which came last Sunday, elevated Littler to the world No1 spot above Cool Hand Luke.
The pair will be at Butlin’s Minehead on Friday for the Players Championship Finals and few would be surprised if they end up meeting again in the final on Sunday night.
Humphries beat the other Luke in the 2024 showdown in Somerset and is, in fact, going for a record-equalling hat-trick of titles in this November major.
This is one of just THREE PDC premier crowns that Littler has yet to lift in his 23-month era as a professional.
Asked if he was fired up for this one, Littler – who plays Swede Jeffrey de Graaf in round one – said: “Yeah. I came short last year.
“Obviously, I lost 11-7 in the final. I think I lost my head a bit throughout the game.
“Went off for a break. I said to myself, don’t get how I am losing. But Luke took his chances.
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“I am back. Especially following the win after the Grand Slam, world No1 now, coming in as the 36th seed, just got through.
“Anything can happen in this tournament.”
Humphries has a tough opener against newly-crowned European champion Gian van Veen and he will surely be feeling crestfallen after dropping down to No.2 in the world.
The Berkshire thrower said in Wolverhampton, tongue firmly in cheek, that it would be war now with his younger rival and Littler responded: “It’s true. Yeah, it’s true.
“We are always going to go to war. We are always going to be playing each other week-in, week-out.
“This weekend is definitely one I want to tick off. You have got to play the ProTours to get through to the Finals.
“I don’t like the ProTours but now I have dragged myself to Wigan, Milton Keynes and Leicester. Let’s see how we do.”
