Littler Unfazed by Crowd Reaction at World Championship

Luke Littler has expressed no remorse for his post-match comments to the crowd after his win over Rob Cross at the World Darts Championship. The world number one, who is seeking to become the first back-to-back winner of the Sid Waddell Trophy since Gary Anderson, overcame Cross 4-2 to reach the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year. Littler, who will face Krzysztof Ratajski on New Year's Day, produced a 106.58 average and hit 17 maximums in the thrilling encounter. After the match, he addressed the crowd, saying, 'Am I bothered? Really, am I bothered?! Really not bothered!' He also thanked the audience for their support, stating that they pay for his prize money. Littler described the experience as a new one for him, having never had such a reaction from the fans before. He acknowledged that the crowd's support for Cross was unexpected but stated that he was focused on completing his task. The defending champion believes that he can turn things around with the crowd when the tournament resumes in 2026, but for now, he is focused on playing his best darts. Sky Sports Darts' Glen Durrant commented on Littler's outburst, saying that he was surprised by the crowd's reaction and that Littler's age and lack of media training should be taken into account. The World Darts Championship continues on New Year's Day with the quarterfinals, where Littler will face Ratajski.