Littler Opens Clean-Sweep Chase With Win Over O'Connor in Dortmund

Luke Littler has taken the first step toward a goal that would set him apart in darts. On Friday night in Dortmund, Germany, he beat Willie O'Connor in his opening match at the Machineseeker European Championship, starting his attempt to win every major honour the sport has to offer.

A clean sweep means holding each of the sport's biggest titles at the same time, and few players have come close to that kind of collection. Littler has already built a trophy cabinet that many of his rivals would envy, so the European Championship is another piece he is trying to add to a remarkable set of achievements.

Winning the first match does not guarantee anything, but it matters in a tournament where the knockout format leaves little room for slow starts. Getting off to a winning start keeps Littler on track and puts pressure on the rest of the field to respond.

The result is the latest chapter in a run that has kept Littler at the centre of the darts calendar. Attention now turns to his next match in Dortmund and whether he can keep the momentum going toward the title he is chasing.