‘He needs to be careful’ – Luke Littler, 18, warned he should ‘take a break’ from darts
LUKE LITTLER has been warned he should take a break from darts to avoid burnout.
The Nuke burst on to the scene at the World Championships 15 months ago.
After reaching the Ally Pally final, he has already racked up five major titles, two PDC Masters crowns and became the youngest player to hit a televised nine-dart finish.
The reigning UK Open champion’s staggering rise included being crowned the sport’s youngest world champion while still only 17.
He sits top of the 2025 Premier League table as he looks to defend the title he won on debut last year.
But darts icon Dennis Priestley reckons Littler would benefit from stepping away from the oche amid the relentless, hectic calendar.
Priestly, 74, said: “Luke Littler says he didn’t pick up his darts for a week, but he probably doesn’t have the time to practise.
“They have such a full schedule with midweek and weekend competitions usually, he has been racing around hotels in different cities and he probably doesn’t have the time.
“He is playing so often that might mean he doesn’t need to practise, but he does need to be careful he doesn’t burn out.
“Maybe at some point he will need to take a break.”
Littler is closing the gap on Luke Humphries at the summit of the world rankings.
But the Menace reckons it is only a matter of time before the Warrington wonderkid snatches top spot.
Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues
Night 1 – Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 – Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 – Dublin: Price beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 4 – Exeter: Humphries beat Littler 6-4
Night 5 – Brighton: Littler beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 6 – Nottingham: Price beat Littler 6-3
Night 7 – Cardiff: Littler beat Van Gerwen 6-4
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29
Priestly added to OLBG: “You can say that Luke Littler is the best player in history never to have been world number one – but that is certainly to happen this year.
“The money list being over two years is what is stopping him at the moment, he’d be top if it was one year.
“That’s the only reason he isn’t top and it’s now only a matter of time.”
Littler crushed Michael van Gerwen in the worlds final in January.
And Priestly reckons that was the moment of a seismic shift in both men’s careers.
The two-time world champ concluded: “Van Gerwen won’t get to the level he needs to be able to compete with Littler.
“He has had an incredible career and he will still keep on practising to try and get back to that level, but Littler has age on his side and looks like he is finding it easy at times.
“Van Gerwen can still win events but when it comes to matching the level that Luke Littler is showing I think he has no hope.”