Michael Smith has told William Hill’s YouTube show, Club 501, that he believes Luke Littler has an aura which allows him to bully lesser opponents, but top players don’t fear him.
The 2023 PDC world champion was speaking on William Hill’s YouTube show, Club 501, hosted by darts pundit and commentator Wayne Mardle, Smith said: “Luke Littler has proven he’s not just a kid, he’s an established player. I’ve never feared him, I don’t know if other players have.
Some players do think, ‘I’ve got Luke, maybe I can get a couple of legs and snatch it somewhere,’ but I don’t think the big players think like that. The likes of Michael van Gerwen won’t be scared of him, but he has got an aura around him at the moment.
“Martin Lukeman was the same in the Grand Slam final. He just looked like he was happy to be there. It shouldn’t be that way, people should want to go for it against him and smash him off the board, but no one wants to do that at the moment. He’s bullying players with his one-dart bull finishes and double doubles.”
Loss would’ve ruined my Christmas in 2023
Speaking on his close encounter with Kevin Doets last year, Smith explained the pressures of returning to the Alexandra Palace as World Champion, revealing that losing to the Dutchman would’ve ruined his Christmas.
“Walking out as the reigning World Champion was a weird feeling,” said Smith. “Being back at the Alexandra Palace and seeing your face on the wall, you’re walking on hoping it’s not the last time you’re called the ‘reigning and defending’ World Champion, because if you lose then you’re the ‘former’ World Champion and I’ve got no time for that title. I had all that going on in my mind, which is why I think I started slowly against Kevin Doets.
“It was the very first night of the World Championship so I didn’t want to get beat. I didn’t want to spend the rest of the tournament watching it from home – my Christmas would’ve been ruined! If you win your first game, you have a really good Christmas and you can actually watch it on TV. The worst bit for me, though, would’ve been being called the ‘former’ World Champion.”
***ENDS***
Watch the full episode here:
