Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has conceded he was in the wrong following a fiery reaction to jeers from the Alexandra Palace crowd during his fourth-round victory at the World Darts Championship on Monday night.
Littler Battles Crowd and Cross to Reach Quarter-Finals
The 18-year-old defending champion, known as 'The Nuke', progressed to the last eight with a hard-fought 4-2 win over 2018 champion Rob Cross. However, the match was notable for a shift in atmosphere, with sections of the north London crowd turning against the previously popular Littler and rallying behind the underdog Cross.
Littler, who has ascended to world number one, appeared visibly riled by the boos. He engaged with the crowd during the match, shouting "now what?" after crucial throws. His post-match interview on the Sky Sports stage further escalated tensions.
"I’m not bothered, I’m not bothered, really I’m not bothered," he stated defiantly. "Can I just say one thing. You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money so thank you for my money, thank you for booing me!"
A Cooler Head Prevails in Post-Match Reflection
By the time he faced the press after the match, Littler had calmed down and offered a more contrite perspective. He admitted to losing his composure, fuelled by a surge of "adrenaline, emotion and anger."
"I think I lost it," Littler joked when asked how far he was from fully losing his head on stage. "The fans have done what they done and I've reacted as any other player would really."
He reflected that he may have responded too early in the contest, realising after the first set that the crowd's antagonism was not abating. "I said to myself, 'you've done it a bit too early here'," he explained. Despite the hostility, Littler acknowledged the energy ultimately fuelled his performance, which featured an impressive 106.5 average.
"It definitely fuelled me up and I definitely played better," he admitted, crediting the crowd's desire for a longer match or an underdog victory for adding extra motivation.
Looking Ahead to New Year's Day Showdown
With the stormy encounter behind him, Littler now turns his attention to his quarter-final match on New Year's Day. He will face the winner of the tie between Luke Woodhouse and Krzysztof Ratajski.
A potential route to a second consecutive world title could see him meet Ryan Searle or Jonny Clayton in the semi-finals, with a final showdown against his long-term rival and current world number two, Luke Humphries, a tantalising possibility.
The young champion's experience at Ally Pally serves as a stark reminder of how quickly public sentiment can shift for a dominant force, and Littler's vow to handle future criticism differently will be tested as he continues his title defence under intense scrutiny.
