Luke Littler’s genius shines through even in World Darts Championship final defeat by Luke Humphries

Never will so few words be written about a world champion, which is unfair on Luke Humphries, the deserving new king of darts. He is now the world No 1 and, aged 28, has produced the most remarkable of breakout seasons, winning three major titles including this world championship, the biggest prize of all.

And yet even in victory – in which Humphries located an unbeatable level in the latter half to blow his opponent away – he was upstaged by a 16-year-old boy. started nervously but he came to life in the second set, and when he went 4-2 ahead in a race to seven, Alexandra Palace expected him to go all the way. Instead Littler’s level dipped and Humphries’ play transformed. He began