Luke Littler has withdrawn from the Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp, Belgium, after winning the Czech Darts Open last weekend, reports BritPanorama.
The 19-year-old, who clinched the title last year, has opted out of competing in this European Tour event. This withdrawal allows Belgian player Kim Huybrechts the opportunity to perform in front of his home crowd.
Having recently qualified for the European Championship in Germany, Littler’s absence is notable. Last year, he triumphed over Josh Rock in a thrilling 8-7 final at the Flanders Darts Trophy.
Notably, Littler had not participated in the European Tour since March prior to his recent victory but remarkably secured his sixth event win in just 16 appearances. He earned £35,000 for his achievement, reflecting a return to form, with Littler stating, “It’s good to be back and I’m back with a bang.”
The path to his recent success featured some challenges; he initially fell behind 3-1 against Krzysztof Ratajski in the last 16 but then reeled off five consecutive legs to secure a 6-3 victory, maintaining his unbeaten record against the Polish thrower. He further dominated against Danny Noppert in the quarter-finals, winning 6-0, before dispatching three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the semi-finals, setting up a highly anticipated final.
In that final, Littler found himself trailing 4-3 against Luke Humphries, who was aiming for a third consecutive Czech Open title. However, Littler quickly regained control, winning four legs in a row to take a 7-4 lead. Although Humphries fought back to make it 7-6 and had two opportunities to level the match, he ultimately fell short, allowing Littler to finish with a double 39 to clinch the victory. “It’s what the fans deserved, obviously the two best going at it in a final once again. I’m glad I’ve won,” Littler remarked.
Humphries, for his part, disclosed he had considered withdrawing from the tournament. “I was going to pull out Thursday, and I made the final, so I can’t be too upset with myself because I did really well,” he conceded. With the trophy earned, Littler is now setting his sights on the upcoming championship in Dortmund, expressing, “the one I’m chasing”.
