'I'm a darts legend – I've already played against the next Luke Littler'

Gary Anderson is convinced that the next is just around the corner after playing against the next generation of darts players.

is one of the most experienced players in the game at the moment, having started playing the sport back in 1996. The 53-year-old Scotsman is a former No.1 and two-time world champion who is still competing at the top level and on Tuesday night.

Littler has taken the sport by storm this year, winning the World Series finals and Players Championship 20 after reaching the final of the World Championship in January. The 17-year-old’s run at Alexandra Palace inspired lots of fans to start playing darts – and Anderson has already seen first-hand the talent that is coming through.

“Five or six months ago I played with a German lad, nine years old – he was just as good as Littler,” he said after his win over Smith. “Count just as good honestly… Not a word of English he spoke, but honestly, by God, he was something else.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

“You shouldn’t be playing darts like that at nine years old. Maybe 29 but not nine. They’re everywhere now – and it’s a very cheap game to play and you can do it at home. [Get a] dart board, set of darts, knock yourself out.”

Asked if the story of Littler’s rise was partly responsible, Anderson replied: “Definitely. He’s definitely kicked on a younger generation. By the time those boys are on stage I’ll be well gone. It can only get better. Will the darts be as good as what they were in 2014, 2015, 2016? That’ll take some beating.”

Anderson also that he could be about to retire. Having dropped to No.24 in the rankings, Anderson says he is simply enjoying playing without any pressure on his shoulders, claiming he doesn’t care about results.

"This is what happens when you work for press and TV,” he said when asked about retirement. “You've not got a frigging clue. I'll stop when I want to stop, you have not got a clue honestly. You just think what you see is what you get, you've not got a clue. People have lives, do you have a life?

“Do you have a life, do you have a life? Yeah, well it's nice to have a life, but if you are doing this constantly then you wouldn't have a life.

"I know what I can do, I know what I can't do. And, at the end of the day, like you say, your pundits, you've not got a clue. That's why they're sitting on their a**** talking about darts instead of playing darts."