Littler Humphries Advance European Championship Amid World No.1 Battle

Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, the top two ranked darts players in the world, advanced confidently to the second round of the 2025 European Championship in Dortmund, Germany, with dominant performances. Littler defeated five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld 6-1, finishing with a 98.97 average, while Humphries whitewashed Krzysztof Ratajski 6-0, averaging nearly 110 and sealing the win with a 161 checkout. Littler, 18, has a chance to become world number one for the first time if he wins the tournament, as he trails Humphries by just £52,500 in prize money; his upcoming match against James Wade is crucial in this pursuit. Humphries, the current world number one, emphasized the importance of a strong start and dominating early legs, which he successfully executed against Ratajski. Other notable results include James Wade’s 6-1 win over Mike De Decker, Cameron Menzies’ 6-3 victory against Gary Anderson, and Ricardo Pietreczko’s 6-4 win over Josh Rock. Littler’s potential ascent to the top spot in the rankings would make him the youngest ever world number one in darts, surpassing Michael van Gerwen’s record.