Luke Littler has shed light on the incident that led him to label Gian van Veen a 'cry baby' following their tense Premier League Darts match in Manchester. According to Littler, Van Veen effectively conceded at the end of the match, prompting Littler's heated reaction. The controversy began when Van Veen turned towards Littler while throwing match darts in the deciding leg, which Littler felt was unnecessary and disrespectful. Van Veen had previously stated that Littler was 'out of order' for celebrating towards the crowd, causing him to stare at Littler.
However, Littler claims that Van Veen was the one who breached protocol by putting his darts down in front of him. Littler expressed that he called Van Veen a 'cry baby' because there was no need for such behavior.
He also stated that when Van Veen won, he graciously congratulated him. The incident has sparked a rivalry between the two players, with Littler suggesting that such tensions can draw in more viewers.
He pointed to past arguments between Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney as examples of more heated exchanges. Littler is now focusing on his game, acknowledging that he and Van Veen may meet in the semi-finals in Rotterdam. Littler recently had a disappointing performance in Brighton, which he attributed to a lack of practice and a poor mindset.
He is looking to bounce back and defend his title in the Premier League Darts.