Littler Faces Backlash in Brighton, Exits Premier League Quarter-Finals

World champion Luke Littler suffered a setback in the Premier League quarter-finals, losing to Stephen Bunting and recording his lowest televised average. This defeat comes on the heels of his highly publicized spat with Gian van Veen the previous week. Littler was met with hostility from the crowd in Brighton, which seemed to rattle him, and he was unable to recover from a poor start. Former Premier League star Wayne Mardle attributed Littler's subpar performance to a possible 'knock-on' effect from the earlier incident, stating that it would be coincidental to think it had no impact. Littler's average of 83.94 was his lowest in a televised PDC match, and he failed to hit a single maximum. In contrast, Bunting, despite not being at his best, capitalized on the opportunities presented to him and secured the win. The crowd's negative reaction towards Littler was acknowledged by Bunting, who expressed sympathy for his opponent, saying, ' Thankfully, he is human!' Three-time world champion John Part noted that Littler 'didn't look interested' during the match, speculating that the crowd's behavior might have been off-putting. Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Michael Van Gerwen, moving ahead of Littler in the standings. The Premier League season continues, with the next match taking place in Rotterdam, featuring key battles, including Luke Humphries against Gian van Veen and Luke Littler against Gerwyn Price.