Taylor warns Littler his rivals are “jumping on him” after shock major exits

PHIL TAYLOR has warned Luke Littler that his rivals are “jumping on him” after back-to-back major exits.

The 16-time world champion believes the world No1 is facing a new challenge as the rest of the PDC field continues to study and improve against him.

Littler, 19, has already won FOURTEEN major titles since bursting onto the scene and was chasing a clean sweep of every major PDC title in 2026.

But his bid came to an end at the World Series of Darts Finals when Jonny Clayton beat him 10-4 in the quarter-finals in Amsterdam.

The teen sensation also fell 2-1 in round one of the World Grand Prix to Luke Woodhouse earlier this week in Leicester.

Taylor believes Littler’s dominance is forcing his rivals to raise their own standards.

He told Sky Sports: “What players are doing now is that they're watching him and they're jumping on him. Players are getting used to him and they will improve, which will put more mental pressure on Luke.

“He might then think, 'I need to practise a bit more' so he's doing things to improve his game whereas before he's going in there and not thinking about it.”

Littler has also faced a barrage of boos and whistles from crowds during his remarkable rise, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany.

But Taylor believes the Warrington whizkid needs to learn to embrace the hostility rather than allow it to distract him.

He added: "Littler has got to get used to the boos. Go in there and turn the crowd. Sometimes if you play well and you start hitting your 140s and 180s, your big finishes, the crowd will turn and don't react to it, but he does react.

"He's young and he's a little bit cocky at times but that's good, that's confidence. He's just got to accept crowds are going to be on his back for a little bit, but they will get bored with it.

"Keep doing what you're doing, keep playing well, and just concentrate. Let them boo and then do your little antics when you've won.

"Littler doesn't have responsibilities. He can just go up there and enjoy himself and win tournaments. Go up there, enjoy it, take no notice of the crowd, which isn't easy, obviously, but work out a way of turning the crowd around."

The Power also revealed he would have relished competing alongside Littler, believing the pair would have pushed each other to raise their games.

He continued: "I would have loved him to have been about.

"Any player that used to come through I used to love anyway because I looked at ways of raising my game.

“You have to be a bit like Rocky Balboa by getting the chicken out and chasing it down the garden. It's great to see him up there and he's a lovely lad who is not money orientated.

"Players that were better than me, I thrived on it. I loved it."