Live updates - Littler 7-3 Van Gerwen
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22:16 GMT - That's a wrap from us tonight and from the tournament, we hope you have enjoyed our coverage. See you soon for more from the majors!
And congratulations, Luke Littler!
22:12 GMT - Littler also claimed the Ballon D'art trophy - the award for most 180s in the tournament - with 76 maximums. So two heavy trophies for the young star to carry home.
22:08 GMT - A 102.73 average for Littler, slightly better than Van Gerwen's, but he was utterly lethal on the doubles with 25/45 going in.
Littler threw 12 180s to MVG's 13.
"I come 4-0 behind and after that I didn't do myself justice but that's the way it is," Van Gerwen told Sky Sports.
"You need to try and fight and battle back but after coming back from 4-0 down I definitely not the worst player out of us but fair play to him.
"Every moment he got to hurt me, he did.
"I sometimes say every 17 years, a star gets born, and he's one of them.
"I had a lovely tournament. I've been battling my own game but that's how it was. You have to take it on the chin and take it as a champion.
"It hurts, but that's how it should be. It is what it is."
22:05 GMT - Luke Littler was in disbelief when speaking to Sky Sports on stage after his 7-3 victory.
"I can't believe it! Honestly, I can't believe it," Littler said.
"We both played so well. I said in my interviews I needed to get off to a quick start, and that's what I did.
"Michael was behind me the whole game. Those cover shots, when he would hit two trebles and I had to come back with two or three, he was right behind me the whole way through.
"Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy but you have to get through a tough field. I was practising backstage on the tops and 10s (D10).
"At 2-0 up I started getting nervous but I said to myself 'just relax'. I was throwing for the match but to get it over and done with was special."
21:58 GMT - What a sensational performance from the 17-year-old. He blew Van Gerwen away there. He's now £500,000 richer, and now a world champion!
MVG gets £200,000 for coming second, so defeat isn't without its perks.
21:55 GMT - Littler has 48 to hold, which goes out. He's been phenomenal on the double 10 and 20 this evening.
Littler rushes to a finish in the second leg to break, and he takes out tops to move one leg away. He also has the darts.
The Nuke leaves 132 for the title, hits both bulls but misses double 16 for the win.
He comes back with 32, which he hits with his second attempt. LUKE LITTLER WINS 7-3 AND IS THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
21:50 GMT - Van Gerwen has the darts with Littler one set away. He hits a 180 to put pressure on the former champion. He narrowly misses 164 for a huge break. MVG takes out double 16 to hold the first leg in 14 darts.
Littler can't take out 73, leaving MVG with a sniff at 154, but he can't take advantage. Littler hits tops to make it 1-1. He's 56 per cent on the doubles.
MVG hits a 180 at the start of the third. He races to a finish to hold again: 2-1.
Littler knows he has time on his side here. MVG looks to break and leaves 49, which he takes out to take the ninth set. It's 6-3, MVG averaged 106 in that set.
21:37 GMT - Littler's averaging 102.50 after seven sets, MVG 98.64. The Dutchman has improved on the doubles, he's up to 34 per cent, Littler's on a little over 50 per cent.
Van Gerwen probably didn't want that break in the match after winning that leg. Littler starts with the darts and takes control, but misses the 130. Van Gerwen can't punish, so Littler comes back for 25. Double 10: bosh. It's 1-0.
Littler looks to break on 50, which he sticks with ease for an 11-dart leg. It's unplayable stuff, and 2-0 in the set to Littler after that break of throw.
MVG needs a break back but can't take out 92. Littler has three goes at 64, which he takes to whitewash the set and move one away from the world title. It's now 6-2.
21:30 GMT - Van Gerwen needs a quick response and leaves 36, which he takes out.
MVG sees another dart bounce out, his third of the night. Littler leaves 124, again on the bull. He nails it spectacularly: it's 1-1 in legs and a hold each.
Littler throws the 20th 180 of the match but Van Gerwen races to a finish, and takes out 81 for a 12-darter of his own: 2-1.
Van Gerwen reaches a finish first against the darts, but he's unable to take out 139. Littler nails tops to take us to a deciding leg. Van Gerwen has the darts.
He opens with a 180. He looks more in the groove. A big max from Littler puts MVG under pressure. Littler can't take 161, allowing MVG to take out tops. It's now 5-2 in sets - is a comeback on the cards?
21:22 GMT - A 180 from Littler to open the sixth set. And another: six perfect darts. He misses the seventh but leaves 72 to hold. He eventually takes out tops to make it 1-0.
A ninth max for MVG in the next leg. He leaves 66 but misses the double. Littler can't take advantage. MVG takes out a cheeky double 1 to narrowly hold.
Littler comes out with a 180 to start the leg again. He can't follow it up. He finishes the leg in 12 darts to make it 2-1.
The Nuke is averaging around 111 in this sixth set, it's high-quality stuff. He gets a look at 127 but misses bull. MVG has one go at double 16 and takes it to make it 2-2.
Littler with the darts and another 180 to start. Littler has six darts from 128 and leaves 35 with MVG not on a finish. He takes out double 10 to make it 5-1 in sets to Littler. Can Van Gerwen salvage anything here?
21:09 GMT - Littler comes out firing with a 180 in the fifth set. MVG comes with one on his second visit. Littler misses the fifth treble, no nine just yet.
Van Gerwen is on 53 after nine darts, though. He misses two at tops. Littler has 145, but it doesn't go. MVG hits his third at double 10 to take the first leg.
Littler leaves 130, which he pins in three - our first 100-plus finish. It's 1-1, a hold each.
Looking for a break, Littler knocks in a 180 to leave 164, but he can't get going. Van Gerwen takes out 80 to make it 2-1 in legs. He's looking more clinical on those doubles now.
Littler leaves a big fish again but misses the first treble. MVG needs 132 which he takes out with a fearsome bullseye for the set. It's 4-1 and life in the Green Machine!
20:58 GMT - Littler has the darts and leaves a two-dart finish. Bull, double 10 for 70 goes out in style. Van Gerwen has been nowhere near so far, despite scoring a few more maximums.
Speaking of which, Littler hits his third to set up 88 for another break. He takes it out to make it 2-0 in legs. This is stunning stuff, another four-visit leg. MVG has only won two legs so far tonight.
Littler is throwing for the set. He's first to a finish, but Van Gerwen applies pressure with another 180. The Dutchman has a look at 70 but misses the double 16. Littler needs 86 but misses two set darts at double 16, too. MVG pinches the leg: 2-1 in legs.
Another 180, the 10th of the match - from MVG. Littler leaves 170 again, hits both trebles but misses the bull for another set dart. MVG busts trying to hit 32, leaving Littler with 25. Double 10 again: 4-0 to Littler. This is a thrashing so far.
20:51 GMT - In his first visit on the third set, Van Gerwen throws first and sees a dart bounce out the 60. It still feels as if both players have a few gears to go up, although Littler is nailing some 11 and 14-dart legs.
The Dutchman takes out 24 to hold the first leg. He misses a chance to break in the next, allowing Littler to take out double 5 and level the set. Let off.
The Nuke leaves a big fish for the leg but can't get it started. He comes back for 70 but misses his favourite double 10. MVG needs 91 but he botches it. Littler takes double 10, meaning he's throwing for a three-set lead.
Van Gerwen hits his fifth 180 in response. Littler leaves 170 for a third straight leg - he just misses the bull by the finest of margins. He comes out to take out 25, which he takes. It's 3-0 to Littler, who's running riot here.
20:42 GMT - Littler's averaging 101.74 after the first two sets, while Van Gerwen is on 99.55.
The key so far looks like the Nuke's finishing: he's 54.55 per cent (6/11) on the doubles, MVG - when he's had the chance - has only hit one out of seven attempts.
20:39 GMT - Van Gerwen picks up his third 180, and Littler responds with his first of the match in the first leg of the second set. He narrowly misses bull for a 12-darter. MVG can't take out the big fish, so Littler returns for double 10 to hold his throw: 1-0.
Littler hits another max to pressure MVG, who misses two darts at tops. Littler steals it to make it 2-0 to the Nuke and a break of throw with an 11-darter.
With the darts for the set, Littler leaves 96 with MVG miles off a finish, but he lands a 180 regardless. Littler misses the double-double. MVG misses bull on 128. Littler takes his second set dart at double 10 to make it 2-0 in sets.
20:29 GMT - Van Gerwen opens with the throw. He pins the first 180 in his third visit to leave 25 but busts his score. Littler can't take out 140, so MVG comes back but misses again. Littler takes out 55 for the opening leg against the throw. A gimme!
Littler leaves 55 in the second, which goes out via double 10 to make it 2-0 in the first set.
Powerful scoring already in this opening set. MVG with the darts and reaches a finish first. He looks at 102 but can't find a treble. Littler needs 88 for the set but misses two darts. MVG takes out double 16 to hold and take his first leg of the match.
Van Gerwen hits his second 180 to start the fourth leg. Littler gets to a finish first on 80, which he takes out on double 10 to make it 1-0 in sets.
20:22 GMT - We're underway in the World Championship final!
20:15 GMT - Here we go. The players are making their walkouts now in a buzzing Alexandra Palace.
MVG won the throw for the first set.
Match stats can be found here once they're up and running.
19:04 GMT - Luke Littler has won his previous two meetings against MVG, on the European Tour and at the World Series Finals. It's generally pretty even between the pair throughout the year, though.
Out of the previous 12 meetings since January, they're deadlocked at six each.
18:26 GMT - Boasting a tournament average of 102 across his five matches, Littler says he feels his experience is starting to tell in the big matches.
"I've gained valuable experience this year," Littler said in his post-match press conference.
"Michael has extensive final experience, but this is only my second. I know where I went wrong last year, and I'm determined to improve."
18:22 GMT - You can still catch up on all the action from last night's semi-finals here, with plenty of highlights and commentary.
18:20 GMT - The PDC Darts World Championship has been full of twists and turns at Alexandra Palace, seeing in Christmas and the New Year with a winter spectacle for punters in attendance and at home.
From nine-dart finishes to big fish checkouts, there have been countless shocks, dominant displays and fairytale runs, culminating in the finale between Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen on Friday, January 3rd in London.
Flashscore has boiled it down to five top talking points and highlights from another wonderful World Darts Championship - read more here.
18:16 GMT - Van Gerwen was looking for his fourth world title and first in six years, the previous a 7-3 win over Michael Smith in 2019.
En route to the final, the Dutchman beat James Hurrell, Brendan Dolan, Jeffrey de Graaf, and Callan Rydz, as well as demolishing Chris Dobey 6-1 in the semi-finals.
The Dutchman was throwing an average of 99.2 going into the tournament's final and averaged 100+ in matches against Rydz (103.10) and De Graaf (101.98).
18:15 GMT - Littler secured his second consecutive World Championship final appearance with a dominant 6-1 win over Stephen Bunting, averaging over 105.
Boasting a tournament average of 102 across his five matches going into the final, the 17-year-old had been favourite to go one better than last year's defeat to Luke Humphries by winning it this time around.
On his way to his second World Championship final, Littler defeated Ryan Meikle, Ian White, Ryan Joyce, Nathan Aspinall, and Stephen Bunting, against whom he showed nerves of steel by deciding the match in the penultimate leg with a 170 big fish finish.
He's aiming to become the youngest-ever world champion - weeks before he turns 18.
18:00 GMT - Hello and welcome back to Flashscore UK's Darts Tracker! It's final night! The teenage superstar Luke Littler returns for his second consecutive World Championship final. He faces three-time winner Michael van Gerwen from 19:45 GMT - follow all the stats live here.