Luke Littler drops darts retirement hint to cast major doubt on Phil Taylor record chase

Many fans and pundits person tipped Luke Littler to overtake Phil Taylor, who retired aged 57 aft finishing with a grounds of 16 satellite championships during his unthinkable career

Luke Littler has poured uncertainty connected him equalling Phil Taylor's satellite title grounds aft insisting helium plans to discontinue earlier his fifties.

The darts sensation is 1 of the biggest names successful the athletics aft becoming the youngest subordinate to win the World Darts Championship astatine conscionable 17 astatine the commencement of this year.

Many fans and pundits person tipped him to overtake Taylor, retired aged 57 aft finishing with a grounds of 16 world championships during his unthinkable career.

But Littler says helium has nary plans to beryllium playing darts astatine that property and admitted helium whitethorn ne'er gully level with Taylor. He adjacent claimed helium could "wake up and discontinue tomorrow".

Speaking connected the Huw Ware's caller Tops and Tales podcast, helium said: "Michael (van Gerwen) said this successful a antithetic interrogation – erstwhile the occurrence goes retired your belly, there’s conscionable nary constituent successful playing. So if I accidental I’m going to proceed playing darts for 30 years, good I could aftermath up time morning, the fire’s gone retired of my belly, and I wanna retire.”

"I astir apt won’t beryllium playing astatine 50. It’s conscionable the mode the sport’s going. It’s conscionable growing, increasing and growing. But yeah, evidently the 1 happening I bash privation to do, and I’ve said it galore times, is triumph 1 of each large astatine slightest once.

"Get them connected the bucket list. Obviously, I’ve won a Pro Tour, a Euro Tour, the Premier League. I’ve won the biggest one, the World Championship. I’ve won the World Series and the Grand Slam. So there’s not overmuch left."

Littler reached the acme of the athletics by beating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 successful the satellite title last earlier losing to the Dutchman successful the Premier League Darts opener this month.

Now 18, Littler has taken immense disapproval aft being scolded by his rival for being precocious to a property league for their clash successful Belfast - arsenic the teen was told "he needs to learn".

Littler aboriginal deed backmost astatine fans who mocked him for losing successful the 3rd circular of the Players Championship One arsenic Joe Cullen secured a 6-3 win.

He wrote connected societal media: 'Still earned a fewer quid contiguous portion these are sat astatine location charging their phones waiting for maine to lose."