PHIL TAYLOR is tipping new world No.1 Luke Littler to dominate darts for the next decade – provided he still has the same hunger and desire.
Littler leapfrogged Luke Humphries at the top of the world ranking over the weekend as he defended the Grand Slam of Darts crown.
At 18, The Nuke is the youngest world champion in history and could remain there for a long time, particularly if he were to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy, which now has a £1million price tag.
Taylor, collector of 16 global crowns, is extremely proud of Littler’s rise from schoolboy to superstar within two years.
And unless someone else steps up to the mark, The Power expects Littler to hold on to top spot for the best part of the next TEN YEARS.
Taylor, 65, told SunSport: “Luke was brilliant. Nobody touched him. He’s just cruised through. It was good to watch.
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“The rest of them, now they have got to start figuring out how to beat this young man. Because if not, he’ll dominate like I did for a while.
“How long? At least ten years, I reckon. He can dominate as long as he wants to. Unless anybody else comes through and pushes him.
“Luke will have his ups and downs, though. He’ll have days when he isn’t quite on form.
“But nine times out of ten, he’ll be on form. He’s just got it, hasn’t he? He’s got the talent.
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“It’s very similar to when I used to play. Sometimes you start off a bit slow. But the longer the game, the better you become. And he’s got it. He’s definitely got that extra gear.”
At the age of 18, Taylor worked for £40 a week in a metals factory in the Potteries.
This was many years before he had even picked up a set of darts in a pub following a challenge from Eric Bristow.
Littler, two months shy of his 19th birthday, has won more than £2.6million in prize money (£1,850,500 of that is ranking dosh) in 23 months, claimed one world title and is now the undisputed best thrower on the planet.
Taylor was a celebrity when he ruled the sport in the 1990s and 2000s but his fame was a slow burn, especially as it came when Sky Sports was in its infancy.
Littler, a worldwide phenomenon, is benefiting from growing up in a social media era and can barely walk down the road without being noticed.
Every sport needs its rivalries and Littler certainly has that with good pal Humphries, who reacted to losing his world No.1 status by declaring “war” and saying he would become world champion on January 3, 2026.
Taylor sparred with Dennis Priestley and Raymond van Barneveld and latterly with Adrian Lewis and Michael van Gerwen but in his pomp, he stood alone.
The Stoke icon – speaking on behalf of BetGoodwin – said: “Of course you need your rivalries. It creates interest.
“I mean if you put Coronation Street on television where somebody whacks somebody, you get the best viewing figures ever.
“Remember Mike Baldwin hitting Ken Barlow? It was probably about 100 million viewing figures!
“Look, it’s horrible when you go down to number two or number three in the world.
“Luke Humphries now, he’s got something to get up and practice for. So it doesn’t do you any harm.
“It just makes you think, right, I’ll get up now and start playing a bit better and get back on form again.”
Littler’s next appearance will be later this week at the Players Championship Finals – one of the few majors he has not yet won – at Butlins’ Minehead.
There will be £120,000 on offer for the winner and then it is full steam to the Worlds, which begin on Thursday December 11 with Littler’s title defence.
The teenager said: “If Luke (Humphries) wants world No.1 back, he’s going to come chasing and pile that pressure on.
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“But for myself I’ve just got to try and add as much prize money as possible.”
+ Phil Taylor is an ambassador for BetGoodwin. For sports odds please visit Betgoodwin.co.uk
