James Wade halts Luke Littler's rise at European Darts Championship

Luke Littler's bid to become the world No. 1 in darts was halted after a 10-7 defeat to James Wade at the European Championship, ending his chance to overtake Luke Humphries this weekend. Littler, an 18-year-old favorite following a strong year, was frustrated by missed doubles and Wade's clinical finishing, which secured Wade his first televised victory over Littler and a quarter-final place. Wade praised his own performance, noting he played better than Littler and should have won by a wider margin, while acknowledging Littler did not play his A-game. Meanwhile, Humphries narrowly won his match, maintaining his No. 1 ranking for the time being. Fans expressed support for Littler, encouraging him to bounce back in future tournaments, such as the Grand Slam of Darts next month. The tournament also saw the early exit of top seed Nathan Aspinall, who lost to Danny Noppert, highlighting the competitive nature of the event.