Phil Taylor, a renowned figure in darts, expressed surprise upon learning that Luke Littler plans to undertake minimal practice before defending his £1 million World Darts Championships title.
Littler aims to achieve a feat accomplished by only four others – retaining the Sid Waddell Trophy. The prestigious darts event kicks off on Thursday night, with Littler facing Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas in the first round.
Despite being just 18 years old from Warrington, Littler intends to enter the tournament with minimal practice, a strategy that caught the attention of 16-time world champion Taylor.
In an interview with SunSport’s Flight Club, Taylor remarked, “Luke hasn’t been practicing as diligently as expected. However, if he progresses beyond the first round, I believe he will excel. Luke must enter with a winning mindset.”
Taylor recalled a recent encounter with Littler in Finland, where the young player exuded confidence. Taylor recounted, “I asked him if he was taking a practice board with him, but he declined, opting to stay in a rented house in London without practice.” Taylor marveled at Littler’s natural talent, citing an instance where he effortlessly scored high despite minimal preparation.
Throughout his 31-year career in professional darts, Taylor emphasized the importance of mental preparation for players heading to the Ally Pally. Taylor advised early mental readiness, adequate rest, and cautioned against over-practicing, especially with the significant prize money at stake this year.
Taylor stressed the need to strike a balance in practice to ensure peak performance over the three-week championship period, highlighting the significance of mental focus and physical well-being for success in the tournament.