Littler told he does not even need to “bounce back” after shock major exits

LUKE LITTLER has been told he does not even need to “bounce back” after suffering a shock World Grand Prix exit.

The World No1 was dumped out at the first hurdle by Luke Woodhouse in Leicester.

It came just over a week after Jonny Clayton ended Littler’s bid to win every major title in a calendar year at the World Series Finals in Amsterdam.

Littler, 19, had won SIX ranked majors in a row from the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts through to the World Matchplay in July.

Only Michael van Gerwen, with seven, and Phil Taylor, with 15, have produced longer runs of consecutive ranked PDC Premier event victories.

Pundit Dan Dawson insists Littler has nothing to prove despite his back-to-back defeats.

He said: “There is plenty of stuff where he can bounce back with the Grand Slam coming up. There is a European Championship.

“I’m not even sure he has to bounce back. He lost a game. He lost a couple of games.

“He is not going to do this mad record breaking clean sweep. But it is still one of the greatest years anyone has ever produced in the sport of darts.

“It could get even better. He could win loads. I don’t think he has to do any bouncing back.”

Dawson also revealed he was not surprised to see Littler beaten by Woodhouse at the Mattioli Arena.

He added: “Absolutely not. I sort of predicted it, to be honest. I thought Luke Woodhouse had a real chance of beating him.

“Luke Woodhouse has been playing some brilliant stuff.

“What we saw in the previous big tournament, the World Series Finals, Littler looked a little bit off it.

“He is spectacular. The World Matchplay over the summer is the greatest World Matchplay campaign anybody has ever produced.

“[Phil] Taylor, [Michael] Van Gerwen, name them. He played some amazing stuff, but he isn’t going to win everything.

“This is always a banana skin, the World Grand Prix. First round, double start is a nightmare format.

“It has happened to the very best players over the course of history. They have suffered early exits.

“That is what has happened to him here.”

Dawson reckons The Nuke will be challenging for more silverware and has ruled out any suggestion that his form is suddenly a concern.

He said: “I think he is going to be right in amongst it. I would expect him to win more titles.

“I don’t think he is going to win all of them. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he did.

“There is no crisis. There is no major problem. It’s just the thing he was trying to do isn’t going to happen this year.

“Maybe it happens next year. Maybe it happens the year after. It is still one of the greatest years anybody has produced in darts and it still could get better.

“I expect him to win more.”

Image: Taylor Lanning