Michael van Gerwen said Luke Littler’s reluctance to go to particular tournaments would be ‘unthinkable for him’ aged 18.
Last month, Littler was absent from the International Darts Open, making it the second European Tour event he missed within two weeks.
The 18-year-old opted out of the tournament having also skipped the European Darts Open in March.
Talking about Littler, Van Gerwen said: “He’s a phenomenon, no doubt. But I find it surprising that he already shows some reluctance about going to tournaments. That would’ve been unthinkable for me at his age.”
He has only played in one European Tour event this year, the Belgian Open, which he won.
Littler is back in action over the Easter weekend at the German Darts Grand Prix, making his return against Cam Crabtree in the evening.
The darts 2025 schedule is a hectic one and as a teenager, pacing himself may aid his performance at events.
Despite what seemed to be slight criticism, Van Gerwen was also full of compliments for Littler.
When asked if he can foresee Littler slowing down, he replied: “No, he’s too talented for that. He’s not a flash in the pan.
“But even though he throws brilliantly in the Premier League, he still loses early on the Pro Tour sometimes.
“Maybe that frustrates him, but you can’t see it. Me? The steam would be coming out of my ears!”
The Dutchman also criticised the expanding darts calendar, sharing the opinion with some fans that rivalries are losing their importance.
He said: “It happens too often now. Back in the day, you’d really look forward to, say, Van Gerwen vs Taylor.
“Now, if someone tells me I’ve lost to someone four times in a row?” he said while shrugging. “There are 30 more matches coming up this year. You get it?”
In an interview with Dutch publication HLN.be he squashed any retirement talks.
“I’ve just signed a new deal with Winmau through 2035. I’m committed to going full throttle for at least another ten years. I’m still young, and I know there’s plenty left in the tank,” Van Gerwen said.
“I’m better than most players on the Tour—I just need to prove it again, more often.”
