Luke Littler makes shock decision hours before Premier League Darts event in Birmingham
Luke Littler has made a major decision just hours before returning to action on Thursday night.
The reigning world and Premier League champion is in Birmingham for night 13 and takes on Stephen Bunting in a first round match-up at the Utilita Arena.
Littler is at the top of the Premier League leaderboard on 30 points, with four nightly wins going into the final stretch and subsequent play-offs.
But ahead of the next event, it's emerged that 'The Nuke' has pulled out of an upcoming competition.
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As reported by Sky Sports, Littler has officially withdrawn from the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Grand Prix.
The tournament takes place in Sindelfingen, Germany between May 2 and May 4 but Littler will not be present.
It comes after the 18-year-old was given an incredibly tough time by the German crowd in his last two appearances.
He had to contend with a hostile reception in Berlin on night nine of Premier League darts at the Uber Arena on 3 April - where he lost to Chris Dobey.
Littler was again subjected to jeers in Munich for the German Darts Grand Prix at the end of last month and commented afterwards on social media, writing: "Shouldn't have been in Munich but had to play anyway.
"Next one in Germany for me is Dortmund and I am glad to say that."
Asked about the boos, Littler said: "I just don’t get it, and I can’t explain it" and pointed out that it happened before in Hildesheim.
German player Max Hopp was perplexed as to why Littler was getting booed and sad that he should be getting thanked as "the prize money is about to skyrocket" because of him.
The rest of the top 20 players, including the likes of Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting, Rob Cross and Gerwyn Price, are all expected to be present after being included in the schedule.
Littler hinted that his next appearance in Germany will be the German Darts Championship which takes place in Dortmund between 17 and 19 October. He was the runner up in 2024, losing the final 8-5 to Peter Wright.
However, before then is the World Cup of Darts - which is also being held in Germany in June. Littler and Humphries, the two top English players in the world, have first refusal on representing their country at the tournament.
Humphries teamed with Michael Smith last year and went all the way in Frankfurt to win £80,000 in prize money.
Topics: Luke Littler, World Darts Championship, Darts
Josh Lawless