Luke Littler fears raised by Phil Taylor after teenager set off alarm bells in defeat
Luke Littler is seen as the heir to Phil Taylor's throne in the world of darts
PA
Phil Taylor is worried about Luke Littler's hectic schedule after the teenager was beaten by Dirk van Duijvenbode at the Flanders Darts Trophy on Sunday.
The 17-year-old had gone into the showdown hoping to win his second title in Belgium after his victory in the country earlier in the year.
Littler was impressive on Saturday as he comfortably breezed past Jermaine Wattimena.
But he never really got going on Sunday, with Van Duijvenbode blowing the youngster away to advance to the quarter-finals - while fans on social media felt Littler 'gave up' as he crashed to defeat.
Luke Littler is seen as the heir to Phil Taylor's throne in the world of darts
PA
For many years, Taylor was the best darts player in the world.
Littler is widely seen as the heir to his throne, with the teenager going from strength to strength ever since his appearance at the World Darts Championship last year.
Yet Taylor, speaking to YO1 Radio, has now raised concerns that the constant travelling involved in darts could hamper his development.
“He’s done brilliant fair play to the lad," he said.
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"The only thing that will upset Luke at the minute, is the travelling.
“It is very tiresome and he’s not used to it. It’s not just about darts anymore, there’s a lot more involved.”
Taylor quit darts earlier in 2024 but is set to return to the oche for the World Seniors Matchplay in York next month.
He had a hip replacement operation back in July - yet insists he'll be ready to compete now that he's walking.
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“I had an operation about seven weeks ago. Yeah, I’m walking now! It wasn’t too bad," he said.
"A bit sore in the beginning, but just had a few painkillers.
“It was strange. The surgeon said to me, you’ve got one leg longer than the other and I’ve levelled you up!
“It does feel strange. It's just incredibly weird.”
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Luke Littler's busy schedule has Phil Taylor worried
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Taylor is a 16-time World Champion who has conquered virtually everything possible.
Yet the 64-year-old admits he'd love to reign supreme next month as he looks to add to his unrivalled legacy.
“I would love to win a Seniors, I’ve got to be honest," he admitted.
Phil Taylor is aiming for his first Seniors title as he prepares to return to darts next month
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"I wasn’t right before, so hopefully, now that I’ve had my operation and everything, I can start playing properly.
“I’ll give it a good go and I’m really looking forward to it!”
“I’ve got John Henderson, he’s come over now. In the next twelve months I think we’ll see more big names coming over.”