Dan Stapleton, an amateur darts player from North Wales, found himself facing off against the emerging talent Luke Littler at a local tournament in Chester in 2023. Despite Littler’s young age of 16 at the time, he was already gaining attention for his prowess in darts months before his notable debut at the PDC World Championship.
Stapleton recalled the encounter with Littler at Riley’s in Chester, where they coincidentally arrived simultaneously for their match. Although they had crossed paths in a tournament the year prior, Stapleton had not engaged with Littler due to his age. However, he was aware of Littler’s growing reputation in the darts circuit.
The two players advanced through the group stages and eventually faced each other in the round of 16. Stapleton expressed surprise at being drawn against Littler but also felt eager for the challenge. Despite Stapleton’s enthusiasm, Littler demonstrated his competitive spirit and skill by securing a convincing 3-0 victory with an impressive average performance.
Reflecting on the match, Stapleton acknowledged Littler’s dedication to every competition, regardless of its scale. He noted Littler’s exceptional performance during their encounter and praised his consistency and talent on the dartboard.
Stapleton admitted that he always believed Littler had the potential to achieve great success in the sport, even foreseeing a world title in his future. Comparing Littler’s achievements to those of other renowned darts players, Stapleton expressed admiration for Littler’s remarkable progress and doubted that his accomplishments could be surpassed easily.