Luke Littler backs view on darts schedule as Luke Humphries left ‘emotionless’

Humphries has played 11 tournaments since the start of the year and says playing feels like ‘a chore’

Luke Littler (left) celebrates a win over Luke Humphries in March (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Luke Littler has agreed with an assessment from former darts world champion Luke Humphries that there are too many tournaments on the schedule.

Humphries revealed he was “emotionless” at the International Darts Open at the weekend and blamed playing too many games at the start of the year for his malaise.

Speaking after beating Dirk van Duijvenbode in the second round, Humphries said: "When I’m up on stage, I am just feeling emotionless. It’s weird, and it’s me being honest to all the fans. I feel like my emotions are just all over the place.

"It’s not that I don’t want to be here — it just seems a chore for me at the moment. It’s just too much darts. I’m playing too much. I think I need a break. I’m emotionless and it is not good for my mental state.”

Humphries was beaten in the semi-finals of that tournament by eventual winner Stephen Bunting and faced a backlash for his comments on social media.

He later said he would keep his opinions to himself to avoid a similar response. Posting on X, he wrote: "Considering the comments and people not understanding what I meant, it will be the last time I ever confess my real feelings to the public.

"Everything I say or ever do just never seems to be good enough for anybody. As long as no one complains when we all give the same answers in interviews like robots and not our true feelings, then everyone I guess will be happy, or usually will still find a way to moan at us."

Luke Humphries has been left 'emotionless' on stage, which he believes is due to playing too much darts (Reuters)

Littler, meanwhile, empathised with Humphries and offered his support ahead of the next night of the Darts Premier League in Manchester on Thursday.

"Yeah, totally agree with him," Littler said. "I think Gerwyn Price said the same thing this morning, or last night, I've seen it on Instagram.

"But yeah, it's tough, especially when these players go over to the likes of Riesa, you've got to get trains, you've got to get direct flights, connecting flights, and then you're back home.

"But I think Luke knows now he has to balance his schedule. Just like myself, just focus on the Premier League."

Luke Littler has echoed Humphries’ thoughts on the busy schedule (Reuters)

Following his last-16 defeat to Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price wrote on Instagram: "Gutted to lose today but so happy to be on the way home. Too much darts [at the moment]."

Littler sits top of the Premier League table, ahead of Humphries in second.