Darts icon Phil Taylor was taken aback by Luke Littler’s revelation of his minimal practice approach before defending the £1 million World Darts Championships title.
Littler aims to join the elite group of four who have successfully retained the Sid Waddell Trophy. The highly lucrative event in the darts calendar kicks off Thursday night, with Littler facing off against Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas in the first round.
Despite being just 18 years old from Warrington, Littler plans to participate in the tournament with intentionally limited practice, surprising the 16-time world champion Taylor.
In a discussion on SunSport’s Flight Club, Taylor mentioned, “Luke hasn’t been practicing as much as expected. However, if he advances past the initial round, I believe he will excel.”
Taylor further shared, “Luke needs to enter the competition with the belief that he can emerge victorious. I was with him recently in Finland, where he displayed immense confidence. When I asked if he was taking his practice board along, he casually replied ‘No.'”
Taylor recounted an incident where Littler refrained from throwing darts the night before a match but still managed to perform remarkably on stage. Taylor acknowledged Littler’s unique talent and natural ability, describing him as exceptional.
Reflecting on his own professional darts career spanning 31 years, Taylor emphasized the mental preparation required for such tournaments. He stressed the importance of early mental readiness and maintaining a balanced practice routine to avoid exhaustion.
With the World Championship offering a substantial prize of £1 million this year, Taylor cautioned against excessive practice, highlighting the need for players to find the right balance and ensure they enter each match feeling refreshed and mentally sharp.