Luke Humphries has received a warning about Luke Littler (Image: Getty)
Phil Taylor believes must be fit, healthy, and prepared to stop if he’s to defend his crown. Ever since their momentous clash in the Ally Pally limelight in January, both Humphries and 17-year-old Littler have been the two names to beat on the PDC floor and stage.
Trading blows on the Euro Tour, World Series, and most recently, in the showpiece of the Players Championship finals, the pair now have the world’s in their sights yet again. Though, with the manner in which The Nuke is going about his business, Cool Hand defending his title will be no easy feat.
Taylor, who announced his retirement from competitive darts this year, mirrors this feeling, fearing that if Humphries is not on top of his game, the crown will go to Littler – whom The Power insists will soon be World No.1.
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“I absolutely loved it,” Taylor told , questioned about Littler’s Grand Slam of Darts success. “That is dead on you can put your money on that, and your on that, he will become world No.1 soon.
“The World Championships is going to tell us a lot (on if he can do it). He definitely has the ability, and he’s got the age and youth on his side.
“Luke isn’t motivated by money; he just likes winning, so he will go into the World Championships, and £500,000 for the winner won’t even enter his head.”
Taylor himself dominated darts for three trophy-laden decades, winning 16 world titles. But even The Power feels as though very little can prevent Littler from submitting the sport to a Taylor-esque stranglehold.
Littler will be favourite to land the Ally Pally showpiece (Image: Getty)
“Not really,” Taylor replied, queried as to whether The Nuke can be prevented. “With what he is doing, some people agree with it, and some don’t in the way he chills out. Luke does his 10 or 15 minutes of practice before a game, and then he is done. If it suits him then carry on because whatever he is doing is working for him.”
Taylor, asked about the Cool Hand’s chance of retaining the title at Ally Pally, added: “It all depends on how he feels because it’s a funny time of the year as the weather is dropping, the temperature is always cold, and you get all of the viruses coming out, the colds, the flu and everything.
“As long as he goes in there all fit and healthy, he’s got every chance of retaining it. It depends on the draw as well with who gets in the first and second round, and so on. There’s a lot more to it than just playing darts.”
Many feel Littler will stand the best chance of dumping Humphries out. However, he cannot repeat last year’s final against Cool Hand due to being on the same half of the bracket as his compatriot – though a prospective mouth-watering semi-final clash may be on the cards.