Littler Explains 'Cry Baby' Comment Directed at Van Veen

Luke Littler has shed light on the incident that led him to label Gian van Veen a 'cry baby' after their intense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. According to Littler, Van Veen effectively conceded at the end of the match, prompting Littler's comments. The controversy began when Van Veen won a contentious match earlier in April, during which Littler reacted angrily to Van Veen's actions when throwing match darts in the deciding leg. Van Veen had stated that Littler was 'out of order' for celebrating towards the crowd, which caused him to stare at Littler. However, Littler has now shared his side of the story, revealing that Van Veen had put his darts down in front of him, which Littler perceived as disrespectful. Littler expressed that he called Van Veen a 'cry baby' because there was no need for such behavior. He also stated that when Van Veen won, he congratulated him and picked up his darts. Littler believes that Van Veen should have focused on his game instead of staring at him. Additionally, Littler mentioned that he did not intentionally celebrate in front of Van Veen, but rather towards his girlfriend, her dad, and the crowd. The young player also discussed his recent poor performance in Brighton, attributing it to a lack of practice and a lack of motivation. Littler and Van Veen may face each other again in the semi-finals of the Premier League Darts in Rotterdam, which could reignite their rivalry.