Luke Littler: 'I'd still be asleep if I wasn't playing darts' as teenager eyes success in Cardiff
ITV Wales' Matt Southcombe spoke to Luke Littler ahead the opening night of the 2024 Premier League Darts season.
Darts teenage sensation Luke Littler joked that he'd "probably still be asleep" if he wasn't throwing darts for a living.
The 17-year-old is set to make his Premier League debut, which kicks off at Cardiff's Utility Arena on Thursday 1 February.
Littler will take on world number one Luke Humphries in what will be a rematch of the highly anticipated World Darts Championship final earlier this year.
He'll be hoping for revenge after Humphries beat the teenager 7-4 at Alexandra Palace.
Despite that defeat, Littler has continued to ascend the upper echelons of darts elite, beating Michael van Gerwen to win the Bahrain Masters in the middle of the month.
He's grown to be one of the most recognisable players in the sport and now he'll embark on the 2024 Premier League Darts which begins in Cardiff before travelling across the UK and Europe.
The play-offs will take place at the O2 Arena in London at the end of May with a jackpot of £270,000 up for grabs.
Quarter Final matches at Cardiff's Utility Arena
Peter Wright vs Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price vs Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwyn vs Michael Smith
Luke Littler vs Luke Humphries
Reacting to the gruelling schedule of matches ahead Littler said: "It is how the calendar pans out. This is what I signed up for – a busy schedule all year long."
He added: "I just keep myself to myself. That is what I do and whatever routines I do.
"When I was going to the airport for Bahrain I said to my mum that I just wanted 10-20 weeks off but the schedule is just crazy.
"I know when I get a day off, I just make the most of it, and I have always said once I get into the venue, that is when I am in the zone."
When asked if the pressure gets to him, he said: "I just do what I do, do what I do best and throw my darts on the board.
"I don’t really want to practise at home, because once I get a day off I don’t want to be spending hours and hours on the board, so I spend hours and hours on my Xbox instead."
Littler’s achievement in reaching the world final as a 16-year-old will rank among the great British sporting achievements of the year.
While his life continues to change seemingly on a weekly basis, staying grounded is not something the teenager appears to struggle with.
He said: "It is what it is. When you get to a world final at such a young age, you are going to get spotted, but you have just to get used to it."
Matt Southcombe also spoke to the PDC World no.5 and Welshman Gerwyn Price,
During the contest, Littler will face Welshman and PDC World number five Gerwyn Price. He will take on world number four Nathan Aspinall at the Utility Arena.
When asked what can be expected from the night of the darts, Gerwyn Price said: "Well, especially in Premier League, it's electric and it's a great atmosphere.
"It's a party atmosphere. You can watch darts on TV but until you go to a Premier League venue like Cardiff or anywhere really, it's nothing like it."
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