Luke Littler says Manchester United being knocked out of the FA Cup spurred him on to a rapid victory at the UK Open.
The 18-year-old won the whole tournament and got the better of Jonny Clayton in the semi-finals with an 11-6 victory despite receiving bad news about his beloved Red Devils mid-match.
While he was thriving at Butlins in Minehead, Man United were faltering at the Theatre of Dreams as they suffered defeat to Fulham in the fifth round tie.
It went all the way to penalties after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw following 120 minutes of football at Old Trafford – Bruno Fernandes’ slick left-footed finish cancelling out a first-half header by Calvin Bassey.
But Ruben Amorim’s men experienced yet more disappointment this season as Fulham ran out 4-3 winners in the shootout with Bernd Leno saving efforts from Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee.
However, that fury may have been the tonic required to get Littler over the line in the semi-final as he claimed five successive legs after the break, when he found out Man United‘s FA Cup dreams were over.
Immediately after the win, Littler admitted to feeling bittersweet despite ensuring he was only one win away from glory.
“I am happy. Obviously I’m in the final in my third attempt at the UK Open,” he told ITV Sport.
“But during the second break I heard about how Manchester United lost so it spurred me on a bit.
“I won the next five and then I only needed one leg and got the job done.”
Littler continued: “Before I walked on it went to penalties, the first break I didn’t win anything of it and then the second break… and then the third session was unbelievable.
“Having that five-leg gap and then you have to go off stage and you go on needing to win that one leg and I managed to get it.”
There were no problems for Littler in the final as he inflicted an 11-2 thumping on James Wade in the final later in the evening.
“It’s one I’ve wanted to win, it’s my third time here,” Littler told ITV after the match.
“I came here two years ago as a 16-year-old, quarter-finals last year and this year I’ve gone two better.”
“I had a job to do, I just wanted to pick up the trophy and it’s one I can tick off the list now,” Littler added.
“I’m looking at the Premier League, making sure I get into the top four and make it to the O2 Arena but now it’s just looking on to Brighton (Premier League night five) and the Pro Tour in Antwerp, the Players’ Championship, back to the Premier League, it’s going to be a long few weeks.”
Earlier in the tournament, Littler got the better of Dutch pair Gian van Veen and Jermaine Wattimena.
He also beat Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski and Peter Wright on route to the final.
