Luke Littler has admitted he is not sure he will ever get used to the media attention cast on him.
The 17-year-old darts superstar lost to Gerwyn Price in the Australian Darts Masters in a rare off-day Down Under.
It's not been a bad nine months for the Runcorn-born talent, having amassed £400,000 for his performances this year.
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After suffering a heavy 8-1 defeat to Price in Wollongong on Saturday, the teenager hit back at his critics.
“It’s just crazy, I lose a game and it’s not like my opponent wins it, it’s me out the tournament, but that’s what happens when it’s me," he told Online Darts.
Price ran out a comfortable 8-1 winner, with Littler admitting after the contest he was second-best throughout the match and struggled to come to grips with his scheduling.
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“I couldn’t keep up with him. It just didn’t happen and he didn’t miss much.
“It’s been hard getting used to the sleeping pattern but no excuses I was terrible [in the final]."
“I just kept the pressure on him and when you miss those doubles, which I’ve done in the past and it’s cost me matches, but it doesn’t matter if it’s 8-1, 8-7, 8-0, as long as I get a win."
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Price has suffered his own heavy defeats against Littler over the past year and admitted he now has to up his levels accordingly.
“Probably just playing Luke, I know I need to get myself up, get myself ready for the game," he responded.
“I probably haven’t done that over the last couple of weeks and months, I just haven’t been able to motivate myself.”
Littler is still only ranked 23 in the world and will have plenty more chance at a World Championship you would imagine.
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The 17-year-old has won the Bahrain Masters and the PDC Players Championship already in the last 12 months.
Topics: Darts, Luke Littler
Matthew Holt