Gary Anderson has downplayed suggestions that the overall standard of darts on the professional circuit has improved following the emergence of young players like Luke Littler.
Littler burst onto the scene in 2023, when he marked his World Darts Championship debut by reaching the final against Luke Humphries.
The teenager has since won back-to-back world titles, as well as five of the seven ranked major titles in 2025 - the UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and the Players Championship.
Earlier this month, the 18-year-old triumphed against Gian van Veen, 23, in the youngest World Championship final in history.
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"I said it all week, the young boys are here and we're trying to take over the [old] guard, [Littler’s] done it so far," Van Veen said after the final. "This game is for the young players now and we're here to show how it's done."
However, Anderson believes the standard on the big stage has not improved in recent years, despite the emergence of Littler, as well as other young players like Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen.
"The level has not gone up," he told talkSPORT. "It’s the same as what us old lads are still hitting. It’s just that there are more of them. Before, you maybe had 20 players who could hit a 100 or 105 average."
Anderson added: “Now you have 128. So, I would not say they are getting any better than us, or better in terms of averages. There are just more players who can hit them.”
"The Flying Scot" also opened up on why he picks and chooses his schedule.
"I mean it’s the travelling. It’s great to be these youngsters who go all over the world," he said.
“I have been all over the world and I have loved it. I have seen countries that I have dreamt about going to. But I have done it playing darts. It’s a hectic schedule. It’s really bad especially for the Premier League players.”
On the subject of the Premier League, Anderson ruled out a return to the tournament before the PDC's official announcement in January.
Asked if he had any desire to return to the Premier League stage, the 55-year-old was adamant.
"Listen, I've done the Premier League. But I couldn't do it and I would say no," he told Online Darts last month. "Even if I win the Worlds and I went to number two, I couldn't do it."
He added: “People think it's just one night. It's not one night, it's 16 weeks," added Anderson. "The Wednesday [you prepare], you play on the Thursday, Friday you've got to try get [elsewhere] or something like that.”
Topics: Darts, Luke Littler
Jack Kenmare