Dutch darts fans in Rotterdam delivered a chorus of jeers directed at world number one Luke Littler as he fell to Premier League leader Jonny Clayton in the final on the eleventh night of action. The hostile reception stemmed from an unresolved dispute with Dutch player Gian van Veen two weeks prior in Manchester, with the arena echoing with boos and whistles throughout the evening.
Littler's Determined Start Amid Boos
Despite the antagonistic atmosphere, Littler maintained his composure, securing a convincing 6-2 victory over Gerwyn Price in his opening match. The teenager celebrated with a fist pump after clinching the win with a 124 checkout, later telling Sky Sports, "Exactly what I expected, the boos and whistles, but I knew as soon as I got on stage I could do my job."
Fallout from Manchester Incident
The tension traces back to a clash with van Veen in Manchester, where Littler was accused of cheering his rival's missed darts. In the decisive leg, van Veen missed double 15 to win, turning to the crowd in frustration at Littler's perceived reaction. Video footage captured Littler gesturing for van Veen to hurry up, followed by a crying gesture after missing match darts, which van Veen interpreted as poor sportsmanship.
After their match, van Veen commented to Sky Sports, "I'm on 90 and miss double-15 on the inside, and then I see him cheering towards the crowd. I don't think that's normal. And then he makes that crying gesture too... he is a great darts player, but today he shows that he is not a good loser." He added that cheering over an opponent's miss "really annoys" him, leading to an angry exchange.
Thrilling Semi-Final and Final Defeat
Littler's win over Price set the stage for a potential rematch with van Veen, but Luke Humphries intervened with a 6-2 victory over the Dutchman. In the semi-final, Littler faced Humphries in a nail-biting encounter, responding to crowd taunts with gestures that briefly gave him an edge. However, after leading 5-2, he narrowly secured a 6-5 win.
In the final, Clayton emerged victorious with a 6-4 scoreline, extending his lead at the top of the Premier League table. Clayton reflected on his performance, saying, "I don’t know what happened there. I had to do something special because it is my 20th anniversary tonight and I did forget so maybe this makes it all right. Luke’s an amazing darts player. But this old dog has got some life in him yet."
The evening marked a disappointing outcome for home fans, as Clayton's path included a 6-2 win over Michael van Gerwen and a 6-5 victory against Josh Rock, ensuring no Dutch players advanced to the final stages.
