"I've heard him say, 'I'm not doing it next year,' so many times" – Vincent van der Voort rubbishes Gerwyn Price likely Premier League snub as 'nonsense'
PDC
The greatest World Matchplay performance of all time. That’s how Vincent van der Voort describes Luke Littler’s sensational title in the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast.
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The former professional watched in awe at the level of the nineteen-year-old Englishman, who posted an unprecedented tournament average of 111.04 in Blackpool and, according to Van der Voort, delivered something the darts world had never seen before.
According to Van der Voort, it’s hard to find the right words for what Littler produced at the World Matchplay. “This is the best tournament performance we've ever seen. No one has ever played this well over the course of an entire televised tournament."
The fact that Littler shattered Phil Taylor’s records says it all, he believes. “111 is in a different category altogether. We should also assume he won't do this every tournament. At least, I hope not."
‘Darts could become a bit boring’
That exceptional level, Van der Voort says, could also put the sport in a tricky spot. If Littler sustains this form over time, he fears the tension will drain from the big TV events.
“If he keeps playing like this and everyone else stays where they are, darts could become a bit boring. You'd stop getting close matches and different tournament winners.”
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He tempers that straight away, though. He points out that earlier this year Littler was pushed to the limit in the Premier League and Masters finals. “Those finals went right down to the last leg. But if he keeps averaging this kind of level, nobody is going to get anywhere near him.”
According to Van der Voort, Luke Humphries is currently the only player who can still occasionally match him. “Humphries pushed him to the absolute limit in the Premier League final, but apart from that, nobody has come close.”
When Luke Littler won the title.
Gerwyn Price had to be perfect... and even that wasn’t enough
The final against Gerwyn Price also made a big impression on Van der Voort. The Welshman averaged well over 105 himself, yet at no stage did he ever really look close to winning.
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“Before the match you think Price has to win his own legs in 15 darts. If he does that, he forces Littler to produce 12-dart legs.”
From the fourth leg on, it completely took off, according to Van der Voort. “Littler took out 167, disappeared into the distance, and then suddenly you're looking at a run of 11-dart, 11-dart, 12-dart, 12-dart legs. You just think: what are you supposed to do against that?”
The answer is simple, he feels. “That's simply too good. Pretty much everyone realised very quickly that there was no playing against that."
Nathan Aspinall was, in his view, ultimately the only player who could really live with Littler. “I think Nathan Aspinall was the only player who managed to stay with him until 7-7.” Springer also stayed on board briefly at the start of their match, but no one else managed to put the young Englishman under serious pressure.
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‘That's why you also have to appreciate just how extraordinary this was’
While some fans fear Littler will dominate the sport, Van der Voort believes people should mainly enjoy what happened in Blackpool.
"That's why you also have to appreciate just how extraordinary this was. You're not going to see performances like this every week. Sometimes you simply have to enjoy a player producing an absolute masterclass and think: "Wow, what have we just witnessed?"
He draws a comparison with the golden eras of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen. “We used to feel like this watching Michael van Gerwen at his peak, or Phil Taylor in his prime, wondering what we were actually witnessing. This was another one of those moments.”
The relaxed demeanor might be the most impressive thing
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It’s not just Littler’s game that amazes Van der Voort. The way he presents himself on stage continues to fascinate him. “It's so impressive that it almost becomes irritating.”
As a former top player, Van der Voort knows exactly what nerves and adrenaline can do to a darter. “I know what nerves and adrenaline do to you as a player. Then you watch how relaxed his throwing arm is, the way he walks onto the stage - often with his hands in his pockets - and it's like he doesn't have a care in the world.”
During the semifinal against Dirk van Duijvenbode, it stood out even more, he says. While Van Duijvenbode strode to the stage visibly full of tension and adrenaline, Littler looked as if he was taking a leisurely stroll. "Littler walked on as if he was strolling along the beach, thinking: "Let's go and throw a few darts. It's unbelievable"
Normally you see the arm start to shake under pressure, especially with the long set-up Littler uses, Van der Voort notes. “He throws them hard, straight and incredibly tight together.”
Price speaks to the media.
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Not even at his peak yet?
Even after the final, Littler wasn’t completely satisfied. He was mainly annoyed that his average dipped slightly at the end, costing him the highest final average ever. “After the final he even said he was disappointed he hadn't broken the record for the highest average in a World Matchplay final."
For Van der Voort, that sums up the world champion’s mentality. Still, there’s one thing he especially hopes won’t happen. “You just have to hope he isn’t a late bloomer.”
When his tablemate asks if he means Littler can get even better, the reply speaks volumes. “Then it’ll get much better. Then the rest can pack it in. That’s the end. Then darts is dead.”
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Premier League? Price will just play again
Besides Littler, Gerwyn Price also came up. After the World Matchplay, the Welshman hinted that due to his private life he might skip a year in the Premier League Darts, but Van der Voort doesn’t buy it at all. "I know that kind of nonsense by now."
According to the Dutchman, he’s heard such statements many times before. "I've heard him say, 'I'm not doing it next year,' so many times."
That’s why Van der Voort doesn’t doubt the outcome for a second. "He'll be playing in the Premier League next year."
Why? The answer is simple, he says. "That tournament is too big to miss. For sponsors, for exhibitions, for your market value, for everything. And there's still a huge amount of money to be earned."
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Lucas MichaelDarts Journalist
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- So what if littler missed out, he doesnt have to enter everythingant10-11-2026
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026