- A 14-year-old darts prodigy has been compared to Luke Littler after WDF win
- The starlet began playing the sport three years ago at the age of just 11
- He also netted himself £337 in prize money courtesy of his unexpected victory
A 14-year-old darts prodigy has been compared to Luke Littler after winning a senior World Darts Federation tournament in remarkable fashion.
Kaya Baysal began playing the sport three years ago at the age of just 11, beat the reigning WDF Budapest Classic champion Sybren Gijbels to earn his maiden senior title.
He beat Gijbels 5-2 in the final, despite being ranked 174 places below the Belgian, who is 13 years his senior – while also claiming victory in the youth edition of the same tournament.
Baysal not only netted himself £337 in prize money but won a senior WDF tournament winner at the age of 14.
Seen as one of the sport’s household names following his shock rise to the top in 2024 as a 16-year-old, Littler became the youngest world champion in history when he won the 2025 title in January.
Baysal, meanwhile, has been given the moniker of ‘The Burnley Bristow’ and has duly been signed by the same manufacturer as Littler.
A 14-year-old darts prodigy has been compared to Luke Littler after winning a senior World Darts Federation tournament
He won the WDF Budapest Classic, the same tournament won by Luke Littler when he was also 14 years old. Pictured: Littler celebrates on Night 10 of Premier League Darts
Target Darts, who have also sponsored Rob Cross and Phil Taylor, confirmed the signing of Baysal to their ‘Elite 1’ programme in March.
The initiative is designed to create a pathway for the top young talents in darts by working alongside youngsters’ management teams to prepare them for Tour Card level play.
After signing Kaya last month, a statement from Target Darts read: ‘At Target Darts, we believe in nurturing young talent and providing them with the support they need to thrive in the sport.
‘Kaya embodies the values of dedication and sportsmanship that we hold dear, and we are excited to be a part of his journey as he continues to grow and develop.’
Lorraine Winstanley, Head of Youth Development at Target, added: ‘I’m thrilled to welcome Kaya to the Elite 1. His talent is clear to see, and I’m looking forward to nurturing that talent.
‘Welcome to the team, Kaya!’
