Luke Littler has reflected on darts fans singing his name after being defeated by Luke Humphries in January's World Darts Championship final.

Humphries prevailed in an Ally Pally epic to notch his first world title. But in some ways Littler was the real winner of the event, sending the nation into a frenzy and banking £200,000 in prize money at the age of 16.

The crowd showed their admiration for 'The Nuke' by chanting his name after the final, even though Humphries was the player to win it. And that made it even more of a head-scratching experience for Littler, who went into the tournament as a relative unknown and came out of it a sporting celebrity.

"I just can’t wait to go back," the teenager told The Telegraph. "I’ve started many rivalries. The fans got involved throughout the tournament, even when Luke Humphries was picking up the world title everyone was shouting there’s only one Luke Littler. I was thinking in my head, ‘you’ve got a new world champion, why are you shouting my name?’"

One year on from their first nail-biting showdown, the rivalry between Littler and Humphries has gained serious momentum.

In the wake of Humphries' Ally Pally victory, Littler went on a run of six consecutive head-to-head wins over 'Cool Hand'. He also beat him 11-7 to win the Premier League Darts title in May after gaining entry to the tournament as a wildcard.

Heading into the 2025 World Darts Championship, which gets underway this Sunday, Littler and Humphries are the two standout contenders. Littler won the Grand Slam of Darts title in November before losing to Humphries in the Players Championship final the following week.

"I think we are both, at the moment, the two best players in the world," Humphries told Sky Sports. "The averages he is putting in, it is fair to say he is putting in a big bit of form like I did last year.

"It is quite close between us both to be honest, but with the averages he is putting in, it is fair to say he is playing the best darts at the moment. But the World Championship is different. It is tough. It is not a foregone conclusion. It is a massive opportunity for both of us - for me to win my second and for him to pick up his first."

With the way the draw has panned out, there will be no blockbuster final between Littler and Humphries like there was in January, but fans will still be treated to a mouthwatering semi-final if they win their respective matches.