Darts
2024 Grand Slam of Darts: All Eyes on Michael Smith After Wolverhampton Exit, says Luke Littler
Teenage Prodigy Luke Littler eyes Mike De Decker showdown, and calls out Michael Smith's ranking pressure after Wolverhampton exit
Teenage sensation Luke Littler has turned around his fortunes on the global stage, ending a streak of early exits at the last three televised PDC ranking events.
He has secured a spot in the last-16 of the Grand Slam of Darts after an almost flawless group stage performance, defeating Dimitri Van den Bergh, Keane Barry, and Lourence Ilagan.
Littler Ends Televised Ranking Drought
Reflecting on his recent struggles, Littler acknowledged the ups and downs of professional darts but emphasised his mindset of steady improvement rather than fixating on titles.
“I just wanted a good run,” Littler told SportsBoom.com. “I never say I need to win this tournament. I want to, obviously, I want to try and win everything, but it doesn't always happen. The past majors, the draws haven’t been in my favour, and I’ve lost. It's back to the drawing board, and so far, things are going well in this tournament. I’m enjoying myself.”
Despite being the newly anointed tournament favourite following shock early exits by the world's top three, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, and Michael Smith, Littler remains grounded and focused.
“People are probably expecting me to get to the final,” he said. “I’ll just keep plodding along, taking it game by game as always, and hopefully, I can do well.”
All Eyes on Bully Boy Following His Wolverhampton Exit
A win in Wolverhampton would be a career milestone for Littler, netting him £150,000 in prize money and boosting him to number five in the PDC order of merit.
But the prize money and order of merit isn’t on the mind of Littler, as he instead suggested that more eyes are on his Premier League peer Michael Smith, who is feeling the heat from ranking pressures.
Smith, nicknamed "Bully Boy," has seen a slide down the rankings after failing to defend his 2022 Grand Slam title prize money, and even bigger stakes loom with £500,000 on the line from his 2023 World Darts Championship win.
“I've already gone up three places,” Littler said, “but obviously the eyes are on Michael Smith. He's defending a lot of money. He’s under pressure, especially defending the World Championship this year.”
Littler vs. De Decker
Next up for Littler is a tough challenge against reigning World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, who recently upset world number one Luke Humphries in Leicester.
De Decker, calm and composed, downplayed any change in his approach to the high-stakes encounter.
“Same as all the other games,” De Decker told SportsBoom.com, when asked how he would prepare for the Littler clash.
“I'll just try to relax and play my game. It’s not any different. I’m just hoping I'll play well, and if chances come, I’ll take them. But I'm happy with how I’ve played so far in this tournament.”
The eagerly anticipated last-16 showdown promises fireworks, with Littler riding high on momentum and De Decker unfazed, ready for the battle on the big stage.
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