"I've heard him say, 'I'm not doing it next year,' so many times" – Vincent van der Voort convinced Gerwyn Price will be in next year's Premier League Darts despite doubts
PDCWednesday, 29 July 2026 at 17:02
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.”
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.”
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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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