On an exceptional night hosted by the Global Theatre in the Boulevard City area, the curtain fell on Tuesday evening on the competitions of the first edition of the “Saudi Masters Archery Championship 2026”, one of the most prominent events of the Riyadh Season, with the crowning of the young English star Luke Littler with the first title in the history of the championship, amidst a large audience and interaction that reflects the growing popularity of this sport in the Kingdom.
Littler wins the summit against Van Gerven
The tournament's final day was a nail-biter, with all four rounds (quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final) taking place in a single evening. "Wonder Boy" Luke Littler claimed the trophy after a dramatic final against Dutch veteran Michael van Gerven, considered one of the greatest players of all time. Littler emerged victorious with an 8-5 score, cementing his status as a rising star and adding another title to his impressive collection at such a young age.
Littler's path to the final was fraught with challenges. He overcame Dutchman Jan van Gervais 6-4 in the quarterfinals before facing a tough semifinal battle against Welshman Gervais Price, which he won 7-5. Van Gervais, on the other hand, reached the final after eliminating Englishman Stephen Banting (6-4) in the quarterfinals, and then defeating fellow Englishman Nathan Aspinall 7-5 in the semifinals.
Details of the elimination rounds and surprises
The tournament was not without its excitement in its early rounds, with the quarterfinals witnessing a fiery encounter in which Welshman Gerwen Price narrowly defeated world champion Luke Humphries (6-5). Nathan Aspinall also shone, defeating Hong Kong's Man Lok Leung 6-4.
Returning to the first day, the competition began with a field of elite Asian players facing off against PDC stars. The standout result was Man-Luc Leong's 6-3 victory over Dutchman Danny Nobert, while the international stars dominated the remaining matches, with Littler defeating Singaporean Paul Lim 6-1 and Price crushing Filipino Alexis Tuilo 6-0.
Riyadh is a global destination for arrows
The Saudi Archery Masters holds special significance as it is part of the Professional Archery Association (PDA) World Series, reflecting international confidence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's organizational capabilities. This event aligns with the Kingdom's ambitious sports development plan under Vision 2030, which aims to diversify sporting events and attract high-profile tournaments with broad global reach, further solidifying Riyadh's position as a regional sports and entertainment capital.
The global television coverage of the event helped to highlight the significant development in the infrastructure of sports halls in Saudi Arabia, specifically in “Boulevard City”, which has become a stage for the most important international fights in various sports.
Unprecedented financial prizes
To add more excitement, the organizing committee has set exceptional and historic prizes, with a prize of $100,000 allocated to any player who succeeds in achieving the perfect “Nine-Darter”, with the possibility of doubling the amount to $200,000 through the “Riyadh Season Bullseye” challenge. These are record numbers being set for the first time in the history of the league’s championships, reflecting the great support that Riyadh Season provides to raise the level of competition.
