Littler Explains 'Cry Baby' Comment Aimed at Van Veen

Luke Littler has shed light on why he labeled Gian van Veen a 'cry baby' following their intense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. According to Littler, Van Veen appeared to give up towards the end of the match, prompting the comment. 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 caused him to stare at Littler. However, Littler has now shared his side of the story ahead of the Premier League Darts in Rotterdam. He revealed that as he walked back, he was still looking towards the crowd, and Van Veen had put his darts down, which Littler felt was disrespectful. Littler questioned Van Veen's actions, stating there was no need for him to put his darts down or stare at him when he still had not thrown his three darts. Littler also mentioned that he did not appreciate Van Veen's behavior when he won, as he felt it was unnecessary. Additionally, Littler discussed his recent poor performance in Brighton, where he produced his worst televised average, blaming it on a lack of practice and a lack of desire to be there. He also touched on the practice room arrangements, stating that it is normal for players to practice in different rooms. Littler believes that the incident with Van Veen will create a rivalry between them, but he is focused on his darts and is looking forward to the upcoming matches.