Luke Littler reveals that rewatching last year’s final defeat inspired PDC triumph

Luke Littler has revealed how watching back his defeat in last year’s final in the hours before facing Michael van Gerwen gave him the inspiration to become the youngest world darts champion in history.

The 17-year-old produced a nerveless performance to beat Van Gerwen 7-3 to lift his first PDC world title. But he insisted that looking back at his 7-4 loss to Luke Humphries last January on YouTube had given him a premonition of how he could win the biggest match of his life.

Related: Luke Littler thrashes Michael van Gerwen to claim historic world title

“Earlier today I watched all the game back against Luke and I had the visions,” said Littler. “I knew what went wrong last year. It was just to recap and go over what I’ve done wrong. And It was probably the right thing to do for myself.”

Littler had been leading that match against Humphries 4-2 before missing a crucial dart at double two to go 5-2 ahead. And he admitted: “Obviously the double two was huge. I don’t think I’ve said it to anyone here, but I said it to my family: if I had gone 5-2 up, I’m pretty much the world champion. But then obviously Luke went on to win the next five sets and pick up the trophy.”

Littler also revealed that it was only when he was throwing for the match that he began to feel any butterflies. “Tonight I didn’t feel any nerves up until the last leg,” he said. “When it started, I started shaking a bit.”

“I looked over at double 16 and thought hit this now or he will come back at you. At 2-0 up I started getting nervous but I said to myself, ‘just stay relaxed’. To get it over with was special.”

Asked how he felt when the -winning double went in, Littler replied: “I just couldn’t believe it. I was fine. And then when I just looked up and looked into the crowd and everyone was on their feet, that’s when the tears came. And I looked over to my family, they were in tears as well.

“I’ve started off 18 months old, in a nappy, on a magnetic board. I’ve come a long way. And my family, we’ve come a long way. It’s also been a long two, three weeks in London. I just can’t wait to go home, and to get into my own bed.”

He added: “Last year there weren’t many young kids here, but now there’s so many. And for them to be wearing my dark shirt, it means the world.”

Littler’s performance was also praised by Van Gerwen, who never had much of a chance after he went 4-0 down.

“Every chance he had to hurt me he did, so fair play to him,” said the Dutchman. “I always take my hat off to people that beat me, that’s how sport works.

“Every 17 years a star gets born, and he deserved it. He played well. Of course it hurts but that’s how it should be. If it doesn’t hurt then you are not a sportsman. I am an old bastard compared to him. It is what it is.”