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PHIL TAYLOR says that TIREDNESS will be Luke Littler’s biggest enemy.

The Power has been impressed by the 17-year-old’s sensational rise to glory over the past nine months.

Phil Taylor said the travelling could hold Luke Littler back
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Phil Taylor said the travelling could hold Luke Littler back
Littler joined the demanding tour after making the Worlds Darts Championships final in January
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Littler joined the demanding tour after making the Worlds Darts Championships final in January

But Taylor, 64, believes that the relentless travelling required on the Professional Darts Corporation tour across Europe will be tough on Littler.

He told YO1 Radio: “He’s done brilliant fair play to the lad. The only thing that will upset Luke at the minute, is the travelling.

“It is very tiresome and he’s not used to it. It’s not just about darts anymore, there’s a lot more involved.”

The 16-times World Champion, who quits the sport for good this year, returns to the oche for the World Seniors Matchplay in York next month after a hip replacement op in July.

READ MORE ON LUKE LITTLER

But he believes he’ll be fit for action, adding: “I had an operation about seven weeks ago. Yeah, I’m walking now! It wasn’t too bad.

"A bit sore in the beginning, but just had a few painkillers.

“It was strange. The surgeon said to me, you’ve got one leg longer than the other and I’ve levelled you up!

“It does feel strange. It's just incredibly weird.”

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Taylor is yet to taste success on the World Seniors Darts Tour and is determined to take home another title before he calls it a day.

He added: “I would love to win a Seniors, I’ve got to be honest. I wasn’t right before, so hopefully, now that I’ve had my operation and everything, I can start playing properly.

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“I’ll give it a good go and I’m really looking forward to it!”

“I’ve got John Henderson, he’s come over now. In the next twelve months I think we’ll see more big names coming over.”

Inside Littler's massive rise

LUKE LITTLER has taken the darts world by storm since exploding onto the scene at the PDC World Championship at the beginning of the year.

The Nuke reached the final on his Ally Pally debut at just 16 years of age - smashing records along the way.

He has then gone on to win a host of PDC events and the Premier League title - which he claimed at the O2 Arena by beating world champion Luke Humphries in May.

He also finished his first season in the World Series as the No1 ranked player.

He has joined Jude Bellingham on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.

And the teenage titan even had to snub an invite from the WWE.

The Sun exclusively revealed that Littler is plotting to create a fitness empire.

He is also cashing in away from the Oche thanks to an Instagram side hustle.

And he's even the face of a brand new cereal.

But he is newly single after splitting from girlfriend Eloise Milburn following a 10-month relationship.

Check out all of our latest Luke Littler stories.

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