LUKE LITTLER will not throw another dart in anger until he travels to a Middle Eastern desert island in less than 10 days’ time.
But he accepts he is now subject to the old ‘Manchester United syndrome’ whenever he is on the stage throughout 2025.
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It is no shock to learn that Littler is knackered and needed a break – and a long sleep – over the weekend after he returned home to Warrington following a historic three weeks in London.
Becoming world darts champion aged 17 – the youngest person in history to do so – was a staggering achievement but a well-earned one due to his sustained brilliance from 7ft 9 1⁄4in.
The first time he will be announced to an audience as the ‘reigning world champion’ will be at the Bahrain Darts Masters – a tournament he won in 2024 – on Thursday January 16 against a local star.
He says he will NOT practise, leaving the darts case shut up until he touches down in the small oil-rich nation.
Littler, who prefers to spend more time on his Xbox, laughed: “I don’t want to practise really. l just want to chill out!
“It’ll probably be the same as last year, leading up to the Bahrain Masters I won’t pick them up.
“I didn’t know too much about Bahrain, but once we flew over there, a few hours on the plane, it was a really nice country.
“To win the first title of 2024 was to say that “I’m here on the World Series”.
“Also I’m here to make sure the World Championship wasn’t a fluke.
“But I know darts is on the curriculum in Bahrain! Theirs is one of the nicer looking ones (the trophy).”
Barry Hearn, the UK’s leading sports promoter, tells an amusing story about the night Littler hit his first professional nine-darter, in Bahrain against Nathan Aspinall, before going on to claim the Golden Palm Tree award.
Hearn, 76, recalled: “The Crown Prince of Bahrain is a really nice man and he’s becoming a good friend of mine.
“He went to watch the Bahrain Darts Masters as a spectator, dressed casually, and no-one recognised him – he’s the Prime Minister and Crown Prince!
“He’s sat in the audience, he sees Luke Littler’s nine-darter and he’s fallen in love with darts saying: ‘This is one of the best nights out I’ve ever had.’
“Now we’re talking to him in great detail about big moments in Bahrain, not so much the professional game but the underbelly. The grassroots. That’s important for us. They are the customers of the future.
“I thought my office was nice, but you should see his palace. Oh, mate, it’s a different level.
“He’s got a nine-hole golf course in his back garden, used once a year, which looks like Augusta.
“I asked if I could play a round and he said: ‘I’ll have to ask my dad because he’s the King and he owns it.’”
On January 21 – “a sluggish Tuesday” as he calls it – Littler will turn 18 but he is not expecting much of a birthday party, more of a low-key affair.
It has been whispered within darting circles that some players may now attempt to unsettle Littler with mind games and that they had held off for fear of being seen to attack a kid through the media or on TV.
We will wait and see if that does happen but certainly being the world champion means he is going to make some feel jealous and determined rivals will up their levels considerably.
It is what Phil Taylor used to talk about as the Manchester United effect – back when the club were actually decent under Sir Alex Ferguson.
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The Power said: “Because Manchester United never got an easy game. I never got an easy game as everybody tried their best against you.”
Littler understands the analogy, especially as he is a United fan, and he said: “Maybe I do have to play better against these players.
“But I know within the first leg of a game that, whoever I’m playing, this is their cup final and I’m going to have be on it from the start.”
