Phil Taylor has shared his strategy for defeating Luke Littler after the teenager made history as darts' youngest ever world number one.
The 18-year-old sensation claimed the milestone following his successful Grand Slam of Darts title defence on Sunday, where he defeated Luke Humphries 16-11 in Wolverhampton.
Taylor's advice comes as Littler continues his extraordinary dominance, having maintained an unblemished record at the Grand Slam with 14 consecutive victories across both editions of the tournament.
Taylor's key insight centres on exploiting Littler's tendency to start slowly in matches.
Luke Littler is the hot favourite to defend his world title
| PA"I've noticed when Luke is a slow starter sometimes and that's when you've got to get him," the darts legend told talkSPORT.
His tactical approach involves treating the young champion like a "school bully" - fighting back with sustained aggression.
"I used to treat him as if it was a school bully, right? I'm gonna start hitting you back and see if you like it," Taylor revealed.
The crucial window appears to be the opening five minutes, with Taylor emphasising that opponents must capitalise on early advantages and maintain constant pressure throughout the match.
Phil Taylor dominated darts during his playing days | PATaylor's observations proved accurate during the Grand Slam, where Littler found himself trailing in his final three matches.
The teenager fell behind against Josh Rock in the quarter-finals, Danny Noppert in the semis, and Luke Humphries in Sunday's final.
Yet each time, Littler mounted impressive comebacks to secure victory.
His ability to recover from early deficits has become a trademark, though Taylor believes opponents fail to capitalise on these opportunities.
"He's 5-0 down the other night and he came back," Taylor noted, suggesting that players become nervous when leading against Littler rather than maintaining their aggressive approach.
Taylor acknowledged that implementing this strategy is easier said than done.
"It's a lot easier to talk about than just doing it, but they've got to do it," he admitted, urging players to dedicate themselves to intense practice sessions that replicate the pressure of facing Littler in finals.
The teenager's achievements are staggering - 20 PDC titles including eight majors in under two years, placing him joint-fourth on the all-time majors list. Taylor tops that particular chart with 87 major victories.
Littler's next challenges come at this weekend's Players Championship Finals, followed by his World Championship title defence starting December 11th as the tournament's top seed.