Luke Littler downs James Wade to secure back-to-back UK Open titles

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/littler-luke/0URN6Xks/"]Littler[/a] averaged 99.58 and hit four 180s in the final, producing a late surge to pull away from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wade-james/MRrXjBAB/"]Wade[/a] and seal back-to-back titles at Butlin’s Minehead Resort.[/p][p]The world No. 1 raced into a 3-0 lead before Wade cut the deficit to 3-2 by the first interval. Wade continued to apply pressure and drew level at 6-6 despite trailing significantly in the averages, but a crucial 116 checkout in the 15th leg sparked Littler into life as the teenager reeled off four consecutive legs to close out the victory.[/p][p]It is Littler’s second UK Open title after claiming his first -- also against Wade -- last year. The 19-year-old becomes only the fourth player to retain the title after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-barneveld-raymond/QyLUYvr0/"]Raymond van Barneveld[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/taylor-phil/fi5POt44/"]Phil Taylor[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gerwen-michael/SU4UkKsm/"]Michael van Gerwen[/a], and the first since Van Gerwen in 2016. The victory also earned him the £120,000 top prize.[/p][embed guid="0c7dce9a-03c2-4864-b5ed-c2625f1ad68c" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2030772806258983137?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]“I don’t think it’s been the best of tournaments for myself, averages-wise, but I’ve dug deep throughout the tournament, and I’ve come out with the win,”[/b] Littler said.[/p][p][b]“James is always on your back. If he had hit some of those darts at double top, it would have been a completely different game, but we always have a good battle.[/b][/p][p][b]“I had a little dry spell, but I think I can say I’m back.”[/b][/p][p]Littler had earlier begun finals day with a 10-6 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noppert-danny/YmMfGEz0/"]Danny Noppert[/a], checking out 161 and winning five of the last six legs to progress.[/p][p]He then recovered from 5-1 down against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rock-josh/xKxxNY1P/"]Josh Rock[/a] in the semi-finals, overcoming a run of 16 missed doubles to claim an 11-9 win and reach the final.[/p][p]The teenager had also beaten [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heta-damon/GYfQQCI6/"]Damon Heta[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doets-kevin/I14LCcyQ/"]Kevin Doets[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anderson-gary/MyKZZS6r/"]Gary Anderson[/a] earlier in the tournament on his way through the 157-player field.[/p][p]Wade, meanwhile, defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dobey-chris/dWj1FjDn/"]Chris Dobey[/a] in a deciding leg before wins over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clemens-gabriel/fNei7lJH/"]Gabriel Clemens[/a] and Van Gerwen secured his place on finals day.[/p][p]The 42-year-old edged another decider against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cross-rob/zs8lbtNH/"]Rob Cross[/a] in the quarter-finals and then produced one of the performances of the tournament to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-gerwyn/8dDDoW0B/"]Gerwyn Price[/a] 11-8 in the semi-finals, averaging more than 105 and hitting 11 maximums.[/p][p]Despite his run to a fifth UK Open final, Wade was unable to deny Littler once again.[/p][p][b]“Luke was just too good for me there in the end,”[/b] Wade said. [b]“He’s the best player in the world at the moment, and unfortunately, I’ve lost to him in three finals.” [/b][/p][h2]Results[/h2][p][i][b]Afternoon session[/b][/i][/p][p][b]Quarter-finals[/b][/p][p]Josh Rock 10-7 Krzysztof Ratajski[/p][p]James Wade 10-9 Rob Cross[/p][p]Luke Littler 10-6 Danny Noppert[/p][p]Gerwyn Price 10-8 Jonny Clayton[/p][p][i][b]Evening session[/b][/i][/p][p][b]Semi-finals[/b][/p][p]James Wade 11-8 Gerwyn Price[/p][p]Luke Littler 11-9 Josh Rock[/p][p][b]Final[/b][/p][p]Luke Littler 11-7 James Wade[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/darts/united-kingdom/uk-open/"]Catch up on the UK Open with Flashscore[/a][/h2]