Darts sensation Luke Littler has revealed the key advice handed to him by fellow Brit Emma Raducanu.
The 16-year-old shot to stardom over the festive period, as he reached the final of the 2023 World Darts Championship final, only to lose to Luke Humphries.
But Littler has continued where he left off following his recent success, claiming the his first major crown at the Bahrain Masters just a few weeks ago.
Born in Warrington, Littler has become an overnight celebrity following his performances at Alexandra Palace and was even pictured at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.
Advert
Taking part in a darts challenge alongside the likes of Harry Maguire, Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay, the Darts sensation has continued to make waves around the world.
Comparisons have began to fly in between Littler and Raducanu, giving the sporting feat achieved by both at such young ages.
Then teenager Radacanu shocked the world to win the 2021 US Open at just 18 but has since struggled with injuries and dealing with the resulting fame.
Speaking to The Guardian earlier this week, Littler wasn't aware of the tennis star, despite her kind words,
Advert
“I would just say: ‘Keep your circle close, take time to actually enjoy it and don’t rush into the next thing straightaway,’” said Raducanu ahead of the Australia Open.
My friend just sent me a picture of the boy who was like 16, who made the final, I think? He lost in the final. She was like: ‘I can’t believe this guy’s only 16 years old,” added the 21-year-old.
Littler's relationship with Eloise Milburn is another facet to his character which has also faced scrutiny, with the youngster also opening up on how the pair deal with the media attention.
Advert
“That’s what I knew from the very start,” Littler added, when asked about the pressure of being in the public eye.
“We knew people would find out [about their relationship] but it started off very bad. As the weeks go on [the abuse of Milburn on social media] has been almost forgotten.
"We’ve been talking for a few months now. I’ve brung her along to the worlds, got to the final and whatever people say, they can say it. It’s not going to affect me or my mental strength.
"I’ve got guys doing my Instagram now and they delete it before I see it."
Topics: Darts, Luke Littler, Emma Raducanu, Tennis