Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts prodigy and 2025 World Matchplay champion, candidly discussed the challenges of his intense schedule in a private conversation with his manager, Martin Foulds, as reported by The Mirror and Express.co.uk on August 3, 2025. Fresh off his 18-13 victory over James Wade in the World Matchplay final on July 27, 2025, which completed his Triple Crown (World Championship, Premier League, and World Matchplay), Littler admitted that managing his demanding calendar is one of the toughest aspects of his meteoric rise. “There’s not enough time to sit back and look at what I’ve done. When I’ve got a week off, I don’t want to be sat down analysing what I’ve done in the past. I know what I’ve done, I can see the trophies in my living room,” he said.
Littler’s 2025 season has been a whirlwind, with titles in the Grand Slam of Darts, UK Open, and two European Tour events (Belgian and Austrian Darts Opens), alongside his World Championship and Premier League successes. However, the relentless pace—particularly the Premier League’s weekly events preceding European Tour stops—has forced him to skip occasional tournaments to manage fatigue. “It’s really tough. You’re going week-to-week with the Premier League, then straight into European Tours. I’ve had to pick and choose to keep fresh,” he told Foulds, as per Express.co.uk. His decision to forego some ProTour events reflects a strategic approach to preserve energy for majors like the upcoming World Grand Prix and European Championship, which he aims to win for the first time.
Despite his achievements, Littler remains grounded, preferring to live in the moment rather than dwell on past successes. His manager’s guidance has been crucial, with Foulds previously describing Littler’s dual persona to the BBC: a shy teenager off-stage who transforms into a confident showman in the arena. This balance helps Littler cope with the spotlight, as seen in his recent “Nuts for Darts” campaign with KP, where he’ll visit a UK pub to play with fans. As Littler prepares for the Australian Darts Masters and the World Series finale, his candid admission underscores the challenge of sustaining his dominance while navigating the sport’s grueling demands.
