MAX HOPP is hoping to make history as the first German winner of the PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship in Sunday's final against Nathan Aspinall.
Following their progression through the tournament's early rounds in Wigan last month, 19-year-old Hopp will take on Stockport's 24-year-old Aspinall on stage at the Butlins Minehead Resort to compete for the £10,000 title.
Hopp made his breakthrough three years ago by qualifying for his first World Championship and has since become a regular on the circuit, but is aiming to take glory on the big stage for the first time on Sunday.
"I'm really looking forward to the final to maybe become the first German champion, it's a big chance for me," said Hopp. "The last 64 shoot-out in Wigan was a tough day and I played so well there.
"You see in all the tournaments on the European Tour and the major events [that] the young players are coming through. What we all need is experience and that's what we get over the years and playing on the big stage.
"I have and I think it's a good thing, but what I need is a few more years. I've got targets, like the top 32 and afterwards the top 16, but that's still one or two years away so I'll go step by step.
"I'm practising really hard and I want to win this final because it would be the next step for me."
Despite being only 19, Hopp's emergence makes him currently the sport's highest-ranked German, and he admits to feeling comfortable with being the sport's public face in his homeland.
He added: "The German TV channels are [showing] darts more and more, you're invited to talk shows and movie shows and that's a really nice thing.
"I hope I can be a figure for a lot of young players, 12 or 13 years of age, who want to be like Max and enter tournaments. I hope it will explode in Germany."
On a personal level, Hopp is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Michael Smith and Keegan Brown, who have continued their emergence since becoming World Youth Champion over the past two years.
"It can be a big step and a big push to get you into the top 32 or top 16, because it gives you a lot of experience and confidence," added Hopp.
"They won that and they feel confident on that big stage and play really nice games, like you can see with Keegan in the Grand Slam of Darts and Michael Smith won two European Tour events."
Click below to watch our Max Hopp interview
PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship Final
Max Hopp v Nathan Aspinall
Best of 11 legs
To be played between semi-finals and final of Cash Converters Players Championship Finals on Sunday November 29