Nijman wins fifth ranking title of 2026 as Greaves loses in last 16

Luke Littler continued his remarkable 2026 campaign by clinching his fifth ranking title, reinforcing his status as the dominant force in professional darts. The young superstar defeated Mensur Suljović 8-3 in the final, averaging an exceptional 104.5 and hitting 65% of his doubles. Littler has now won five of the nine ranking events held this year, accumulating over £500,000 in prize money and extending his lead at the top of the world rankings.

The tournament, held at the Aldar HQ in London, saw several upsets in the earlier rounds. Number two seed Damon Heta was eliminated in the quarter-finals by an inspired Luke Humphries, who averaged 107 in a 10-8 victory. "I knew I had to raise my game against Damon," Humphries said after his win. "The standard out here is incredible every single week."

Perhaps the most surprising result came in the last 16, where emerging talent Jamie Greaves suffered a shock defeat to debutant Niels Zorge. Zorge, ranked 48th in the world, produced the performance of his career to win 10-7, hitting four 180s and converting 64% of his finish attempts. "I've been practicing with the top lads for months and finally it clicked," Zorge said in his post-match interview.

Elsewhere in the draw, former world champion Adrian Lewis reached the semi-finals before being stopped by Littler in a closely contested 11-9 match. "Adrian pushed me all the way," Littler admitted. "But I'm finding ways to win when I'm not at my best, which is the sign of a true champion." The final victory margin of 8-3 flattered Littler, who trailed 3-2 before winning six consecutive legs.

The PDC tour now moves to Newcastle for next week'sPlayers Championship Finals, where Littler will look to extend his remarkable winning streak. With the World Championship approaching in December, the 23-year-old appears increasingly focused on securing his first world title.