Luke Littler sent warning over playing darts tournament that 'levels people out'
Luke Littler has been handed words of caution by Simon Whitlock ahead of the teenager's World Cup of Darts debut. The Warrington youngster's rise in the darting sphere has been stellar, with him reaching a world final in 2024, but even he missed out on one competition last year.
In the World Cup of Darts, teams are determined via the PDC Order of Merit, and the top two players from each participating country qualify.
Twelve months ago, Luke Humphries and Michael Smith, both former world champions, outranked Littler and subsequently led England to their first triumph since 2016.
Littler, who is now a world title holder, has made the doubles tournament this time around and is slated to team up with Cool Hand in what appears to be a formidable pairing. However, 2022 champion Whitlock has issued a warning.
"I love the World Cup. I mean, it's pairs. It's something different," Whitlock said, speaking at the MODUS Super Series 24/7 on Pluto TV launch. "There's only one tournament in the PDC, the whole calendar [that is a pairs competition], and it's a great tournament.
"But it sort of levels people out. You're not just playing for yourself, you're playing for your partner and your country as well, which makes it unique from everything else, and I really do believe they should be playing more pairs tournaments."
While Whitlock, who defeated England's Smith and James Wade en route to the title three years ago, acknowledged the challenges of the format, he heaped praise on Littler's exceptional abilities, reports the Express.
"Luke Littler, he looks calm; he never looks flustered," Whitlock said. "I'm not being disrespectful, but he is an absolute freak of darts. He's absolutely brilliant, and he deserves all the wins he gets. He's just an incredible player."
Ahead of his World Cup debut, 18-year-old Littler expressed his excitement and admitted that many were confused why he was unable to participate in Frankfurt last year.
"I cannot wait," he said. "Last year, people were confused about the ranking system. Everyone was asking why I wasn't in the World Cup, and I had to explain that I'd just started my career. But now, with the major ranking money contributing to the rankings, it's a different story."
Humphries has also commented on the duo's prospects, acknowledging that, due to the format, he will let the prolific scorer Littler throw first.
"I will probably put him first," Humphries told Sky Sports. "He is definitely the best scorer in the world. That's not a lie, it's obvious. So, you're going to put your strengths forward. You put him first, he is probably better at going for the bullseye than I am, getting the throws.
"Only if he's comfortable with it. If not, I'll go first but I played the anchor role last year. I felt really good going second, so maybe that is my role for this year as well."
As England retains the No. 1 seed for the 2025 renewal thanks to their pairing ranking the highest on the PDC circuit, Littler and Humphries will team up for the first time in the last 16 on Saturday, June 14.
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