Littler’s schedule has been non-stop since reaching the World Darts Championship final back in January. Humphries has also been busy since beating the 17-year-old at the Alexandra Palace, with a night of Premier League Darts action every Thursday supplemented by several other tournaments, both in the UK and overseas.
Players Championship 5 and 6 are scheduled to take place on March 18-19, and the two Lukes are absent from the entry list. Fellow Premier League star Nathan Aspinall has also opted out of the trip to Germany.
Humphries and Aspinall are respectively sat at first and fourth in the PDC world rankings, leaving them under no urgent pressure to go in search of more prize money ahead of the World Matchplay in July.
Littler is also well-positioned to qualify for the Matchplay, having shot up to 28th in the world following his victory at the Belgian Darts Masters over the weekend.
‘The Nuke’ put £30,000 into his prize money pot by hitting a nine-darter in a win over Cross in the final, securing victory on his European Tour debut. Littler’s rise has been a rapid one, having debuted at the Ally Pally in December as a relative unknown.
“It has all come quicker than I even imagined for myself and my family but I just have to thank myself for how well I played at the World Championships and then keeping this good form up,” he told Sky Sports. “Hitting a nine-darter, especially in front of that crowd [in Belgium], it was an amazing achievement for myself.
“I think, ever since I have burst onto the scene, I know every player wants to beat me. Even my family and my manager have said you have always got to be on your A game because anyone who plays me now, it is a cup final to them.”
