Gian van Veen remains unmoved by Luke Littler's comments on their recent on-stage spat, stating that he doesn't need a conversation to resolve their differences. The incident occurred during Night Nine of the Premier League in Manchester, where Van Veen won a contentious match.
Littler had reacted angrily after Van Veen turned towards him while throwing match darts, which the Dutchman believed was a deliberate attempt to distract him. Van Veen described Littler's behavior as 'out of order' and claimed that his celebrations were directed at the crowd, causing him to stare back. However, Littler has since clarified that his celebrations were intended for his girlfriend and dad. Despite hearing Littler's side of the story, Van Veen's opinion on the matter remains unchanged.
He insists that there are no hard feelings between them and is focused on moving forward. Van Veen also expressed his enjoyment of the competitive atmosphere in darts, but prefers to be an onlooker rather than a participant in heated exchanges.
The Dutch player is looking forward to facing Littler again and is confident that their rivalry will only add to the excitement of the sport. Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen has downplayed the significance of the incident, suggesting that it has been blown out of proportion. Van Gerwen believes that the media often exaggerates such incidents to create a story, and that the rivalry between players is a natural part of the sport.
The Premier League Darts will continue in Rotterdam, where Van Veen will face Luke Humphries, and Littler will take on Gerwyn Price. The tournament will be streamed on Sky Sports, with ranking points awarded to the top players. The top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on May 28.