Luke Littler lost to Beau Greaves in a semi-final epic at the World Youth Championship – less than 24 hours after he thumped Luke Humphries to win his first World Grand Prix title.

Littler made the trip to Wigan for Monday’s qualifiers having trounced world No 1 Humphries 6-1 in Leicester on Sunday night to clinch his seventh major title in the PDC and fourth of 2025, after the World Championship, UK Open and World Matchplay.

The teenager – who survived match darts in an earlier round against Charlie Manby, recovering from 5-3 down to win 6-5 – was pipped by women’s world No 1 Greaves in a last-leg decider, losing 6-5 with a 107.40 average as Greaves averaged 105 in a high-quality contest.

Three-time women’s world champion Greaves, 21, opened up a 2-1 lead only for Littler to take the next three legs, including when he missed double 12 for a nine-darter in the fourth leg of the match.

However, Greaves rallied to make it 4-4 and 5-5 and won a thrilling clash with a finish of 80 after an 11-dart break of throw to become the first woman to reach a World Youth Championship final.

Greaves – who is expected to accept a PDC Tour Card for 2026/27 – will now take on reigning champion Gian van Veen at Butlin’s in Minehead on Sunday November 23 after the Dutchman saw off Sebastian Bialecki in his semi-final.

Littler wishes Greaves ‘all the best’ in final: ‘She is some talent’

Writing on social media after his loss, Littler said: “I had two 10-dart legs, missed double 12 for a nine and still couldn’t win. Fair play to Beau. All the best in Minehead. Some talent.”

Littler also took to social media to hit back at a sexist comment aimed at Greaves.

Greaves’ encounter with Van Veen will be sandwiched between the semi-finals and final of the Players Championship Finals at the same venue.

Therefore, Van Veen could end up playing in all three of those matches.

Littler won the World Youth Championship in 2023, beating Van Veen 6-4 in the final, but opted out last year with Van Veen going on to take the title after defeating Jurjen van de Velde.

The World Youth Championship can be entered by players between the ages of 16-23, so Littler, 18, could still make many more appearances.

The world No 2 is now scheduled to feature in the Players Championship events in Wigan on Tuesday and Wednesday but will not travel to Hildesheim for this weekend’s German Darts Championship.

Speaking on Sunday about his decision to play in the 2025 World Youth Championship, Littler told Sky Sports: “I’ll head to the World Youths, see everyone and have a bit of fun.

“I don’t think anyone is going to be my friend but it’s 20 minutes up the road and I will try my best. I could have had the day off, but why not?

“Play the World Youth, then two [PDC] ProTours in Wigan and have the weekend off.”

Littler’s highest average of the day on Monday was the 108.59 he recorded in his round-robin win against Iceland’s Alexander-Veigar Thorvaldsson.

World Youth Championship results

Semi-finals

• Beau Greaves 6-5 Luke Littler
• Gian van Veen 6-4 Sebastian Bialecki

Quarter-finals

• Luke Littler 6-1 Jamai van den Herik
• Beau Greaves 6-2 Liam Maendl-Lawrance
• Gian van Veen 6-2 Cam Crabtree
• Sebastian Bialecki 6-5 Keane Barry

Last 16

• Luke Littler 6-5 Charlie Manby
• Jamai van den Herik 6-3 Lok Yin Lee
• Beau Greaves 6-4 Tyler Thorpe
• Liam Maendl-Lawrance 6-2 Lewis Gurney
• Gian van Veen 6-5 Aidan O’Hara
• Cam Crabtree 6-5 Nunjo Dewaele
• Keane Barry 6-3 Adam Gawlas
• Sebastian Bialecki 6-5 Roy Rietbergen

The next darts major live on Sky Sports is the Grand Slam of Darts from November 8-16, before the World Darts Championship runs from December 11-January 3.

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