Darts icon Phil Taylor was taken aback by Luke Littler’s revelation about his minimal practice plans leading up to the defense of his £1 million World Darts Championships title.
Littler is aiming to become the fifth person ever to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy, with the prestigious darts event kicking off on Thursday night. The young player from Warrington will face off against Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas in the first round.
Despite being just 18 years old, Littler has decided to approach the tournament with little practice, a decision that surprised 16-time world champion Taylor.
In an interview with SunSport’s Flight Club, Taylor commented on Littler’s preparation saying, “Luke hasn’t been practicing as much as he should. However, if he advances past the initial round, I believe he will excel.”
Taylor shared an anecdote, recalling a recent encounter with Littler in Finland where the young player displayed confidence without intensive practice. Taylor emphasized the importance of mental preparedness for the sport, highlighting the need to start mental preparation early and avoid over-practicing.
Throughout his three-decade career in professional darts, Taylor stressed the mental aspect of the game as a significant challenge for players heading to Ally Pally. He advised players to focus on mental readiness and avoid exhaustion from excessive practice, especially with the substantial prize money at stake this year.