“He is not playing that great at the moment” – Ex-pro concerned Luke Littler is going off the boil as PDC calendar reaches most important time of year
As the PDC calendar intensifies toward the season’s defining stretch—the World Grand Prix (October 6-12), European Championship (October 23-26), and Players Championship Finals (November 20-23)—former pro Vincent van der Voort has raised alarms about Luke Littler’s recent dip. The Dutchman, a two-time European Tour winner and PDC stalwart, told the *Darts Daily Podcast* that the 18-year-old world champion “is not playing that great at the moment,” attributing it to mounting pressure and subtle technical glitches. “He is still hard to beat… but you can sense he’s going off the boil,” van der Voort said. Littler’s Hungarian Darts Trophy semi-final exit last weekend (7-4 to Danny Noppert) has amplified the chatter, with the teenager’s doubles struggles under the microscope just as £2.5 million in major prize money beckons.
Van der Voort’s Concern: A Solid Base, But Cracks Emerging
Van der Voort, 50 and a PDC Tour Card holder since 2003, isn’t questioning Littler’s talent—his 2025 haul (World Championship, Premier League, World Matchplay, UK Open) remains unmatched. But the ex-pro, who reached the 2007 UK Open final, sees warning signs in Littler’s recent outputs. “His foundation is rock-solid—you never win easily against him,” van der Voort noted. “But lately, the scoring’s not as explosive, and those doubles… they’re costing him legs he should close out.”
The critique landed amid Littler’s Budapest heartbreak: After a bye (Gerwyn Price’s medical withdrawal), he cruised past Joe Cullen (6-1, 94.5 avg.) and Martin Schindler (6-2, 112 avg., 12 180s), but faltered against Noppert, missing 11 doubles (35% success) despite a 95.2 average and seven maximums. It marked his first semi-final loss since July’s World Series Finals runner-up spot (9-6 to Humphries). Earlier blips—a Players Championship 27 third-round exit to Cullen and a form guide drop to No. 2 behind Stephen Bunting—have fueled the narrative.
Van der Voort, who averaged 98+ in his prime, blamed the “most important time of year” for exposing vulnerabilities. “The schedule’s brutal—Euro Tours back-to-back, then doubles format in the Grand Prix. Luke’s young; the mental load adds up.” He contrasted it with Littler’s peak (105+ majors averages) but urged tweaks: “Sharpen the release on doubles. He’s got the arm speed—it’s confidence.”
Littler’s Response: “Form’s a Blip, Majors Are My Focus”
Littler, ever the cool head, addressed the noise on Instagram post-Hungary: “Tough weekend, but darts is ebbs and flows. Swiss next—back to winning.” His team downplays burnout, pointing to a £1.5 million+ year and Order of Merit lead (£15k over Nathan Aspinall). Phil Taylor, the 16-time world champ, backed him: “Nuke’s fine—pressure’s his fuel, not his foe.” Eric Bristow’s recent “quit by 25” claim added edge, but Littler’s retort (“I’ll see you at 30”) showed steel.
X erupted: “Van der Voort’s right—Littler’s doubles are shaky. Grand Prix wake-up call?” one thread queried, with 5k likes. Others defended: “Kid’s 18 with a Triple Crown—’off the boil’? Give over.”
The Bigger Picture: Majors on the Horizon
With the Swiss Darts Trophy (September 26-28, Basel) as a tune-up, Littler’s primed for the double-in World Grand Prix (£500k pot), where Aspinall defends his 2023 crown. Van Gerwen (Hungarian quarters) and Humphries (quarters loss to Niko Springer) lurk, but Littler’s unseeded entry adds intrigue. A strong showing could silence doubters; a stumble might validate van der Voort.
At 18, Littler’s “boil” is still simmering—recent form (4-2 in last six Euro Tour matches) is solid, not scorching. As the calendar peaks, the ex-pro’s concern serves as a timely nudge: Even phenoms need fine-tuning.
