Littler Explains 'Cry Baby' Remark Directed at Van Veen

Luke Littler has shed light on the reason behind his 'cry baby' comment towards Gian van Veen following their intense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. Littler claims Van Veen essentially conceded at the end of the match, prompting the remark. The controversy began when Van Veen won a contentious match earlier in April, during which Littler became agitated after Van Veen turned towards him while throwing match darts in a dramatic deciding leg. Van Veen had stated that Littler was 'out of order' for celebrating towards the crowd, which led him to stare at Littler. However, Littler has now shared his side of the story ahead of the Premier League Darts in Rotterdam, where the two could potentially meet in the semi-finals. Littler revealed that as he walked back, Van Veen put his darts down, which he felt was disrespectful. He questioned Van Veen's actions, stating there was no need for him to put his darts down, especially since Littler had congratulated Van Veen on his win. Littler also expressed that Van Veen had no reason to stare at him when he still had not thrown his three darts. He believes the incident has created unnecessary tension and that such behavior is not typical of their rivalry. Littler acknowledged that there have been more heated exchanges in darts, citing arguments between Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney as examples. He thinks the incident will draw more viewers to their upcoming matches, creating a rivalry between them. Littler is focused on moving forward and improving his performance, particularly after producing his worst televised average last week in Brighton.