slam

Luke Littler will become world number one for the first time after booking his place in the Grand Slam of Darts final in Wolverhampton.

The world champion’s 16-9 victory over the Netherlands’ Danny Noppert means he will overtake rival Luke Humphries to top the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) world rankings regardless of the result of Sunday evening’s final.

At just 18, Littler will become the youngest PDC world number one, surpassing Michael van Gerwen who achieved the feat aged 24 in 2014.

Littler’s earnings over the two-year period that determine the Order of Merit total £1,770,500 after making the final, a figure that will rise to £1,850,000 if he wins.

With Humphries defending the money he won from triumphing in this tournament in 2023, even if he lifts the trophy again, he will have earned £1,769,000 – just short of fellow Englishman Littler.

“It is has not even been two years that I’ve been on the tour and I’m already world number one,” Littler told Sky Sports.

“That is job done – I am world number one – but there is a bigger match tonight.

“I am the best in the world. No matter what, I’ve said it throughout the year that Luke Humphries is the best in the world.

“No matter if you go out in the first, second or third round you are the best in the world.”

Big Brother fans were left fuming just minutes into the latest episode, two days before the final

Big Brother viewers have issued the same complaint as they ask “why?” mere minutes into the latest episode, blasting the “ridiculous” instalment.

The Big Brother finale is merely two days away, with one contestant set to be crowned the 2025 champion on Friday, November 14. Earlier footage showed Somerset farmer Cameron bagging an automatic ticket to the finale, whilst fellow housemates face eviction.

Supporters have been casting their votes for who they wish to rescue as there’s a double elimination this week, which is believed to be a backdoor eviction. Elsa, Marcus, Teja, Tate, Emily, Richard and Jenny are all up for eviction, reports OK!.

Yet the elimination won’t be broadcast until tomorrow’s (November 13) episode, merely one day before the finale, leaving supporters absolutely livid with tonight’s (November 12) show.

Rushing to X, within minutes, one supporter declared: “This is such a filler episode i can’t, GIVE US THE WICKED TASK AND EVICTION NOWWWWW.”

Another penned: “It really is annoying that they are making us wait till tomorrow, the day before the final to see who’s gone. @ITV just can’t do backdoor evictions right, there’s too many of them.”

A third commented: “Why isn’t the eviction tonight?”.

A fourth remarked: “It really is ridiculous that the last eviction before the final, a double eviction as well, happened this morning and won’t be shown until tomorrow. This series has been done so badly.”

Another slated: “This is so stupid and pointless.”

Tonight’s episode witnessed Big Brother assembling the housemates on the sofa for a regal challenge.

Given that Cameron had secured his pass to the final, he was crowned King of the house.

Big Brother declared: “King Cameron, your first decision is to appoint your Royal Aid. They will be your right hand.”

Jenny was chosen as his Royal aide, whilst Marcus took on the role of Court Jester, tasked with keeping the monarch amused.

Tate was subsequently picked as a Royal Comforter, whose duty involved serving as a personal footrest, whilst Emily became the Royal Cook, responsible for all culinary matters.

However, things didn’t go according to plan, with Tate being banished to the garden jail before having rotten tomatoes hurled at him.

But viewers were left disappointed with the episode, demanding “more” for finals week.

One X user posted: “the final week has been a bore.”

Another commented: “I knew this week #bbuk would be boring! These tasks dont create drama.”

Big Brother’s finale airs Friday, November 14 at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

Sinner reached all four major finals in a year when he also served a three-month doping suspension after twice testing positive for a banned substance in 2024.

Wada accepted Sinner “did not intend to cheat” and Djokovic said he believed the Italian “didn’t do it on purpose”.

However, Djokovic warned that the case would remain a “cloud” over the 24-year-old throughout his career.

“That cloud will follow him as the cloud of Covid will follow me,” said Djokovic, who was deported from Australia in 2022 because he was not vaccinated against the virus.

“Over time it will fade, but I don’t think it will disappear.”

A number of players questioned the timing of Sinner’s ban, with Djokovic adding: “There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience [of] the ban coming between the slams so he doesn’t miss out. It was very, very odd.

“I really don’t like how the case was being handled. You could hear so many other players who had similar situations coming out in the media and complaining that it was a preferable treatment.”

Top seed Luke Humphries beat Nathan Aspinall to book his place in the knockout stages of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

England’s Humphries averaged 102.62 in a superb display as he maintained his 100% record to top Group A.

Michael Smith, who beat American Alex Spellman 5-2, went through in second place.

It means an early exit for Aspinall, who can consider himself unfortunate to have come up against Humphries – who hit a nine-darter on Sunday – in this kind of form, given his 100.01 average and five 180s might often have been enough to win against a different opponent.

Former world champion Humphries will now face Jurjen van der Velde of the Netherlands in round two, which begins on Wednesday.

Chris Dobey will face 2023 world champion and fellow Englishman Smith in the next round after clinching first place in Group B with a 5-1 win over Martin Lukeman, despite averaging only 81.

Wales’ Gerwyn Price is also safely through after a 5-1 victory over Switzerland’s Stefan Bellmont that sees him win Group D following Ricky Evans’ 5-2 loss to fellow Englishman James Wade.

Meanwhile, already-eliminated Stephen Bunting suffered a third final-leg defeat on the spin as he lost 5-4 to Group C winner Luke Woodhouse.

Germany’s Martin Schindler is through after beating Alexis Toylo of the Philippines 5-2.

The final group games in the bottom half of the draw will take place on Tuesday with world champion Luke Littler having already qualified for the second round.

Nathan Aspinall 5-2 Alex Spellman

Luke Humphries 5-3 Michael Smith

Martin Lukeman 4-5 Jurjen van der Velde

Chris Dobey 5-1 Damon Heta

Stephen Bunting 4-5 Martin Schindler

Luke Woodhouse 5-2 Alexis Toylo

James Wade 0-5 Gerwyn Price

Ricky Evans 5-4 Stefan Bellmont

Daryl Gurney 3-5 Karel Sedlacek

Luke Littler 5-3 Connor Scutt

Josh Rock 5-0 Lisa Ashton

Glan van Veen 5-3 Wessel Nijman

Gary Anderson 5-4 Beau Greaves

Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Niko Springer

Jonny Clayton 3-5 Lukas Wenig

Danny Noppert 5-4 Cameron Crabtree