Beau Greaves Ends Luke Littler’s Winning Streak in Dramatic World Youth Championship Semi-Final
A stunning performance from Beau Greaves brought an end to Luke Littler’s remarkable winning run, as she defeated the world champion in a thrilling last-leg decider at the PDC World Youth Championship in Wigan on Monday.
The 18-year-old Littler, fresh off a dominant 6-1 victory over Luke Humphries in the World Grand Prix final in Leicester on Sunday, had been widely tipped to continue his ascent in the youth competition.Though, Greaves proved a formidable opponent, showcasing resilience and skill to secure a place in the final.
Littler had demonstrated his remarkable form throughout the tournament, navigating the initial round-robin stage with ease. split into 32 groups of four, the top two players from each group advanced to the knockout rounds, a format littler expertly exploited. He comfortably defeated Tom Garfield 6-2, averaging an notable 102, and followed that with a 6-1 win against Ireland’s Ronan McDonagh to reach the last 16.
A challenging match against charlie Manby, ranked fourth on the PDC Development Tour, tested Littler’s resolve. manby initially led 3-1 and later 5-3, threatening a important upset. Though, Littler demonstrated his championship pedigree, battling back to win the final three legs of a high-scoring encounter where both players maintained an average exceeding 102.
The quarter-final against Jamai van den herik proved less taxing, with Littler securing a decisive 6-1 victory.
Greaves, a three-time WDF women’s world champion and two-time PDC Women’s World Matchplay winner, is widely anticipated to accept a PDC tour card for the 2026-27 season. She initially took a 2-1 lead in the semi-final against Littler, before the champion responded with three consecutive legs. Greaves then mounted her own comeback, leveling the match at 4-4 and again at 5-5, ultimately forcing a decisive final leg. She clinched the victory with a checkout of 80, as Littler suffered a rare defeat despite a remarkable match average of 107.4.
“I had two 10-dart legs, missed double 12 for a nine and still couldn’t win,” Littler posted on his Instagram story. “Fair play to Beau. All the best in Minehead.Some talent.”
https://www.instagram.com/lukelittlerdarts/
defending World Youth champion Gian van Veen advanced to the final from the other side of the draw, defeating Sebastian Bialecki 6-4 in his semi-final match.
Why did this happen? Beau Greaves defeated Luke Littler due to a combination of her own strong performance and Littler’s uncharacteristic struggles in the final leg. Greaves capitalized on opportunities, while Littler, despite a high average, couldn’t close out the match.
Who was involved? The key players were Beau Greaves and Luke Littler. Gian van Veen also
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