Legend John Part says teenager Luke Littler is under “ridiculous” pressure as he bids to win his first World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Littler beat Ryan Meikle in record style on Saturday night, coming within millimeters with a nine-dart shot.
The 17-year-old returned to the big stage 12 months after his remarkable debut run to the final and showed everyone why he is the favorite to win the title this year.
Littler was one breath away from pitching perfection when he missed a double 12 but averaged a staggering 140.91 in the final set to win 3-1.
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The teenager won the final set against Meikle in just 32 darts to advance to the third round
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Littler reflects on his 3-1 victory over Ryan Meikle in the World Darts opener
It is the record for the highest average in a single set at the World Championships as Warrington’s ace continues to break barriers.
The win was extremely emotional for Littler, who broke off her onstage interview in tears.
“I don’t think anyone can understand how much pressure he’s under,” Part said Sky Sports. “There’s going to be a few people who’ve played that game who can understand that, but of course nobody’s ever had to deal with that at their age.
“Just the overwhelming amount of demands on his time and any chance of him not showing up, I think it’s really weighing on him.
“I’m sure he’s disappointed to miss nine balls, but I don’t think it 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 when you’re playing. That’s why he’s a winner. You know what, if he has to have a little time after himself, that’s fine.”
Littler arrived at the tournament as the sport’s biggest name and ‘The Nuke’ made his return to Aly Pally after Christmas against Richie Edhaus or Ian White in the third round.
“He’s had fun, probably going to all these new places, playing in these tournaments that he hasn’t played before, winning a lot of them, playing a lot of matches,” Maas continued. “If you like playing darts, playing a lot of matches is fun.
“He’s been having a great time, but I think the whole reality of what he’s done for the game since last year’s world championships finally kind of dawned on him after the win.
“It’s great it wasn’t after the loss because it wouldn’t even seem fair after what he’s done for the game.
“It occurred to me when I was watching Luke that none of the experience he had last year was helping him because I think he’s a completely different player now. He has different expectations of himself and what his opponents are going to do against
“Last year there was a kind of awkwardness playing a 16-year-old at the time, and the players didn’t know what to do with it. Those old-fashioned ideas, right this year, he’s a tournament favourite.
“He’s the darts god that a lot of people have been waiting for. That’s a lot to do for him. I just think this was his first taste of what a real professional career is like.
“The level of expectation, the ridiculous level of pressure he’s going to have to live with. It’s not going to go away, it’s going to happen every time he plays, but he’s going to settle, I’m sure.”
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