Luke Littler risks failing to qualify for the top-64 Players Championship: what is the reason.

Luke Littler risks failing to qualify for the Players Championship finals

According to The Sun: Luke Littler, second in the PDC world rankings, may not qualify for the top-64 Players Championship and miss the finals this year.

Luke Littler withdrew from the next round of the Players ChampionshipLewis Storey/Getty Images PA

The currently 18-year-old Littler is only £1,000 away from the threshold required to participate in the finals in November.

It is known that he withdrew from Players Championship 28 in Leicester, where James Wade also did not participate.

The prize pool for this tournament is £15,000, which could significantly improve Littler's situation if he played and won.

Despite this, he is not risking delaying the big final in December at Alexandra Palace and is currently second only to Luke Humphries in the PDC rankings.

Players Championship averages take place under different rules, which can create a risk if Humphries, who also dropped out of the top-64, starts catching up with him.

Humphries is participating in Players Championship 28 along with Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price.

Last year Littler lost the title to Humphries during preparations for their meeting at Ally Pally.

SUN VEGAS OFFER: GET £50 SIGN-UP BONUS

Humphries won them 11-7 and received £600,000 for the victory.

Littler has repeatedly emphasized the impact of the number of tournaments in the darts calendar. He noted: “It’s tough, especially when players travel to places like Riza, they have to arrange trains, direct flights, layovers, and then return home.”

Littler also supported Humphries in his concerns about the overcrowding of the schedule, agreeing that “there are too many events in darts.”

Moreover, Littler had already withdrawn from Players Championship 25 in Milton Keynes last month.

In light of these events, the situation around Luke Littler remains tense. It's important to monitor his performances in the remaining tournaments as success or failure may determine his place in the finals. At the same time, the competition from other players, especially Luke Humphries, only raises the stakes in this exciting battle for titles.