Littler Explains 'Cry Baby' Remark Aimed at Van Veen

Luke Littler has shed light on the reasons behind his 'cry baby' comment directed at Gian van Veen, following their intense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. According to Littler, Van Veen essentially conceded at the end of the match, prompting the remark. Van Veen had won a contentious match earlier in April, during which Littler reacted angrily after Van Veen turned towards him while throwing match darts in a dramatic deciding leg. The Dutch player had stated that Littler was 'out of order' for celebrating towards the crowd, which led to him staring at Littler. Littler, however, claims that Van Veen was the one who was disrespectful by putting his darts down in front of him. Littler expressed that he was puzzled by Van Veen's actions, questioning why he felt the need to do so. He believes that Van Veen's behavior was uncalled for, especially since Littler had congratulated him on his win. Littler also mentioned that there was no need for Van Veen to stare at him when he still had not thrown his three darts. He stated that he was focused on the TV, thinking that Van Veen would not miss his shot, given his reputation as one of the best bull hitters in the game. Littler added that when Van Veen came inside the double 15, he looked up, had a drink of water, and then did a little fist bump towards his girlfriend and her dad, which is when the fans started screaming. Littler felt that Van Veen's stare was unnecessary, especially since he still had a dart in hand. Littler recently produced his worst televised average, 83.94, in a 6-4 defeat to Stephen Bunting in Brighton. He attributed the poor performance to a lack of practice and a lack of motivation. Van Veen also lost his first match, and the two players did not interact with each other. Littler stated that this is normal, as they often practice in different rooms. He also pointed out that other incidents in darts have been more heated than his exchange with Van Veen, citing arguments between Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney. Littler believes that the rivalry between him and Van Veen will draw more viewers, and he is focused on moving forward with his darts career.