Old social media post of “great” match at Hayling Island between teenage darts sensation Luke Littler and world final rival Luke Humphries resurfaces

An old social media picture of the English pair embracing following a quarter-final match at a competition in Hayling has appeared as the pair prepare to lock horns in the final at Alexandra Palace. The then 12-year-old Littler posted the picture of himself with Humphries, now aged 28 and the world number one, smiling.

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Littler was left with regrets on that occasion in Hayling Island in November 2019. He posted on Twitter back then: “Lost out in quarter finals last night at Hayling Island comp to @lukeh180 (Luke Humphries). Missed a few chances to go ahead and a bull for a 164 but gave him a great game. Two youth comps today Under 14s and Under 18s hopefully make tomorrow’s finals on stage.”

Remarkably history is set to repeat itself tonight - but on the biggest stage of all in darts as the pair do battle for the world title. Littler will be hoping it is a different outcome to that match in Hayling Island.

Humphries acknowledged Littler's talent even back then and recognised the journey they have both undertaken to reach the World Championship final. Humphries told Sports Boom: "I think I was pretty early on in my career. I don't know if I'd made one or two televised finals then, but his dad on that day was very adamant that he was going to be a superstar and he was right because he is."

Notably, in their initial face-off, the two young players were competing for a mere £250 prize money. Fast forward four and a half years, and they are now set to battle it out on the grandest stage, where the prize money for today’s final is an astounding £500,000.