Luke Humphries gives excuse for skipping next two events leaving Littler as favourite
Luke Humphries has pulled out of two upcoming events on the PDC calendar.
Luke Humphries has explained his decision to pull out of two events this week, claiming that he needs to recuperate after a gruelling six months on the PDC tour. The world No. 1 will skip dates on the Pro Tour and the Hildesheim Euro Tour over the coming days.
Humphries has enjoyed a fantastic year, winning the World Darts Championship and taking part in Premier League Darts for the first time. He lost against Luke Littler in the Premier League play-off final.
Littler will now be the favourite for upcoming PDC events that Humphries is set to skip. However, Cool Hand is keen for a break.
“Everyone has probably seen by now, I'm missing the Pro Tours this week and I'm missing the Hildesheim Euro Tour as well,” Humphries told Online Darts. “Just because of the fact that when I get back from New Zealand, I want to go on holiday and then I've got to take five for six days to recoup from that.”
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He added: "They'll possibly be the last events that I will pull out of, except for the Pro Tours straight after New Zealand, I won't be in them. Apart from that, I'll probably be in everything after.
"It is important to manage your calendar. Obviously, I've looked well in advance and made sure that I'm not burning out and doing too much.”
This year has been the first time that Humphries has taken part in the exhausting Premier League Darts schedule. He says that has influenced his decision to take some time away.
Humphries wants to be fully fit for the Grands Prix later this year.
The 29-year-old continued: "Last year was completely different. I didn't do the Premier League last year, I didn't do Australia so it's going to a lot different this time and a lot busier. A lot more exhibitions, more corporate events so I don't know how I'm going to feel at the end of the year.
“I don't know if I'm going to be full of energy but I'll make sure when we reach that Grand Prix stage, I'm in a fit state because that is when the real ranking money starts and I want to stay the number one in the world."
It comes after Littler skipped the Nordic Darts Masters for a hard-earned break in Orlando. The 17-year-old said a fortnight ago: "Next week we're going to Orlando. There's a competition at the weekend, but I just said to my manager, 'Can I have the week off, [I] don't want to play, [Id' rather] go on holiday'."
