LITTLER RIVALS ACCUSED OF GIVING UP BEFORE MATCH

LUKE LITTLER’S rivals are making it “FAR TOO EASY” for him to dominate darts, according to Vincent van der Voort.

The former UK Open finalist believes many top players are simply not turning up when they face the teenage sensation. 

World No.1 Littler landed a fifth successive major title in Minehead last week despite averaging under 100 in three of his six matches. 

Van der Voort admits he is tired of seeing Littler win so often and believes some stars are mentally beaten before they even step on stage against him. 

He said on the Darts Draait Door podcast: “I’m getting a bit fed up with it now.  

“But it’s not his fault. I find it more worrying that the top players don’t show up against him. That bothers me more. 

“I don’t know if it’s that they’re already lying on their backs thinking: you’ve won. But none of them play their best match against him.  

“That is worrying. You should at least feel he’s being pushed to the limit. And if he’s still better, fine. But he doesn’t even have to play that well to win. 

“He really wasn’t at his best. They didn’t show up. And when I hear the interviews, Littler gets so many compliments again.  

“Then I think: we need players who genuinely want to beat him.” 

‘The Dutch Destroyer’ believes Gerwyn Price is one of the few from the elite who can ruffle the feathers of the Warrington whizkid. 

He added: “Then you end up with Price. He’s got it. He wants to win at all costs. Shame he didn’t reach the final.  

“We need more players like that. Players who can bring their best level against him. Otherwise it’s made far too easy for him.” 

Littler averaged 94.41 in his fourth-round victory over Damon Heta before dipping further to 93.68 against Kevin Doets in round five. 

Van der Voort believes Littler never quite hit his top form in the tournament, even while successfully defending the crown. 

He continued: “Doets, that would have been great if he’d nicked it. But he also should have pulled further ahead early on.  

“That’s the pressure. He sat around a 90 average for a long time and ended on 97.  

“Littler was only around 93, but even then he couldn’t pull away. They can hold themselves accountable for that. 

“He wasn’t even brilliant this tournament. You had the sense he was there for the taking.  

“But if everyone fails to play the game they want against him, he still wins. Then you see he’s so far ahead of the rest.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.