Luke Littler retains phrase by brutally snubbing darts match he ‘hates’
Luke Littler has stuck to his word after choosing to avoid a competition he previously stated he ‘hates’ after vowing not to attend certain tournaments
Luke Littler is avoiding Players Championship events(Image: Stu Forster, Getty Images)
Luke Littler is amongst a number of top-flight darts players who will be absent from the upcoming two Pro Tour events in Wigan. And ‘The Nuke’ has already expressed his disdain for these lesser Players Championship tournaments.
At only 19 years old, Littler has claimed virtually every major title in the PDC and clinched his second World Championship title in January. But with the Premier League and other major competitions vying for his focus, the teenage sensation has mostly avoided floor tournaments this year.
The Warrington sensation snubbed the Pro Tour’s first two German events last week and is amongst the big names not attending this week’s Wigan competitions. However, the young star is simply honouring his word, having hinted last year that he would be reducing his schedule.
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Pro Tour events act as pathways to the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, a tournament Littler won last November. Victory in these competitions enables PDC Tour Card holders to ascend the Pro Tour Order of Merit and earn seeding for the £600,000 finale.
Nevertheless, before his 2025 success, Littler had already anticipated a change in strategy should he emerge victorious. He disclosed in November: “The Players Championship Finals is one that I’ve not got yet. I definitely do want to get it. But if I was to win it this weekend then who knows what happens next year on the ProTour?
“Do I go to a few or do I not? I’ve been having discussions behind the scenes. Do I just do the ones in Wigan and don’t go to the rest? We’ll have to make that decision behind the scenes.”
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Speaking about his hectic timetable, he added: “It’s non-stop. I want to go back to my normal self, but I’ve been used to the fame for so long now.
“I think it would be weird if I isolated myself, like, for a week or something. But it’s all learning curves and I’m getting used to it. It’s definitely changed since that first Worlds but performance-wise I’m not stopping anytime soon.”
Earlier that month, Littler explained precisely why he harbours such animosity towards these competitions, stating: “Everyone knows I hate the Pro Tours.
“All you hear is squeaky chairs and people chatting. I love the stage, I love producing it, especially when I’m playing like that.”
The 19-year-old triumphed over Nathan Aspinall in Minehead and is now proving true to his word by skipping these latest untelevised fixtures at Robin Park Tennis Centre. He’s accompanied in swerving these events by Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson.
