"Then he goes and doesn’t play them at all": How a single loss could throw Luke Littler's entire schedule into disarray

Luke Littler faces a striking choice in the coming months. The reigning world champion previously set himself the goal of winning all the big titles in a single calendar year, but to back up that ambition he may need to take on a heavy schedule. According to Vincent van der Voort, the key lies with the Players Championship events still to be played in England and the Netherlands.

Littler is currently 125th on the Pro Tour Ranking, a position that at first glance does not match the young Englishman’s performances. That is mainly because he has played relatively few Players Championship events in recent months. To climb further on the Pro Tour Ranking, he will have to put in a big shift.

“There’s still work to do. There are two more tournaments in England and four in the Netherlands,” says Van der Voort on the ‘Darts Draait Door’ podcast. That gives Littler enough chances in the coming period to improve his position. A key detail is that two of the Dutch events follow directly after the World Series of Darts Finals. That means Littler will already be in the Netherlands after that event and, logistically, it would be relatively straightforward to tack on the Players Championship tournaments.

Van der Voort believes that is exactly what Littler should do if he wants to make his ambitions a reality. “If he really wants to get it done, then he has to play them. The only question is whether Littler is willing to plan a longer stay in the Netherlands.”

That could depend on how deep the Englishman goes at the World Series of Darts Finals. If Littler goes out early, Van der Voort doubts he will then remain in the Netherlands for several days to play the Pro Tour events.

“If he goes out on Thursday, for example, I don’t think he’ll stay until Tuesday,” he says. A deep run could change the picture completely, though. “If he reaches the final on Sunday, then I can see it. Then it’s easy, because you only have to stay one day.”

That highlights a key aspect of darts’ packed calendar. For Littler, it is not only about sporting goals, but also about the willingness to spend a lot of time on the road. If he exits early, it may be unappealing to remain in the Netherlands for days just to play the Players Championship events. If he reaches the final of the World Series Finals, the schedule is far more logical.

An exit on Saturday would also be a reason to skip the Netherlands, according to Van der Voort. “Then I don’t think he’ll stay either.” It illustrates how much Littler’s planning in the coming months could hinge on his results.

At the same time, there is a clear reason why the young Englishman should make this extra effort. Littler has stated he wants to win everything there is to win in one calendar year. That ambition, Van der Voort argues, means he must be willing to play as many Pro Tour events as possible. “He said: I want to win everything in one year. And that’s why he wants to play the Pro Tour.”

That, according to the interviewee, is the crux. If Littler sees his ultimate goal slip at a key event, he could decide to adjust his plans. Once the chance to win every major in a single year is gone, it may no longer be necessary to play every remaining Pro Tour event. “If he doesn’t win it, then he can also say: just leave it altogether. Then he goes and doesn’t play them at all.”

The coming weeks could therefore be decisive for Littler’s schedule. The Englishman still has several opportunities to improve his position on the Pro Tour Ranking, but he may have to choose between rest and chasing more titles. As long as his dream of winning everything in one year remains alive, one thing seems clear: then Littler will have to head to the Netherlands.