Luke Littler is giving this week’s Pro Tour events in Wigan a miss, staying true to his word about cutting back on his playing schedule amid health struggles.
The teenage sensation, who lifted his second world title back in January, had already hinted he’d be stepping away from these lower-tier competitions after claiming the Players Championship Finals trophy in Minehead last November.
It’s not just Wigan either – the 19-year-old also sat out the opening two Pro Tour tournaments in Germany last week.
With the Premier League and other major titles demanding his attention, floor events have clearly dropped down his priority list this year.
Luke Littler has pulled out of the Pro Tour in Wigan this week
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Littler has never been shy about his feelings towards these non-televised competitions.
Speaking last November, he said: “Everyone knows I hate the Pro Tours. All you hear is squeaky chairs and people chatting. I love the stage, I love producing it, especially when I’m playing like that.”
The Warrington ace had even floated the idea of dramatically reducing his Pro Tour appearances before winning in Minehead.
“If I was to win it this weekend then who knows what happens next year on the ProTour?” he revealed at the time. “Do I go to a few or do I not? I’ve been having discussions behind the scenes.”
The decision to skip these events comes after a challenging night for Littler in the Premier League last Thursday.
Luke Littler has been below-par in the Premier League this year
| GETTYThe world champion suffered a 6-4 defeat to Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals in Antwerp, though he wasn’t quite himself on the night.
“A bit of flu going on but this is darts, we’ve just got to get on with it,” Littler explained afterwards.
“My game at the minute is going well, playing well.”
Before falling to Van Gerwen, he’d battled through the quarter-finals with a brilliant comeback win against Luke Humphries.
The loss leaves him sitting mid-table after the opening fortnight of Premier League action.
Littler isn’t the only big name giving Robin Park Tennis Centre a wide berth this week.
Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson are also sitting out the Wigan fixtures, meaning fans won’t see three of the sport’s biggest draws at these events.
Michael van Gerwen is also missing this week’s fixtures in Wigan
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The Pro Tour competitions aren’t just about ranking points – they serve as the pathway to the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, the very tournament Littler won last November when he beat Nathan Aspinall in the final.
Success at these events helps PDC Tour Card holders climb the Pro Tour Order of Merit and secure seeding for the £600,000 showpiece.