Darts icon Phil Taylor was surprised to learn about Luke Littler’s minimal practice regimen before defending his £1 million World Darts Championships title.
Littler aims to achieve the rare feat of retaining the Sid Waddell Trophy, a prestigious event in the darts calendar starting Thursday night. The 18-year-old from Warrington plans to enter the tournament with minimal practice, which has astonished 16-time world champion Taylor.
During an interview on SunSport’s Flight Club, Taylor mentioned, “Luke hasn’t been practicing as much as expected. However, if he advances past the first round, I believe he will excel.”
Taylor shared an anecdote from Finland where Littler, full of confidence, refrained from practicing before the match and still performed exceptionally well on stage. Despite Taylor’s disciplined practice routine throughout his career, he acknowledged Littler’s natural talent and confidence.
Reflecting on his own career, Taylor emphasized the mental aspect of the sport as the primary challenge for players preparing for the Ally Pally tournament. He stressed the importance of mental preparation and adequate rest to avoid over-practicing and fatigue, especially with the significant prize money at stake this year.
Taylor advised players to focus on maintaining a balanced practice schedule to ensure peak performance over the three-week championship period. He highlighted the significance of mental readiness and physical well-being to deliver top-level performances consistently.