World number one Luke Littler has been firmly criticised for his post-match comments directed at the Alexandra Palace crowd following his victory in the last 16 of the World Darts Championship.
Littler's Heated Response to Booing Fans
After securing a hard-fought 4-2 win against Rob Cross on Monday, the 18-year-old reigning world champion took to the stage and addressed a section of the audience who had booed him during the match. Speaking to Sky Sports presenter Polly James, Littler stated: "I'm not bothered. Really not bothered. Can I say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money."
He concluded his remarks with a series of "thank yous" and a rallying cry of "Come on!". The comment, perceived by many as dismissive of the supporters, has sparked a wave of disapproval from within the darts community.
Former Pro Issues Stern Warning
Leading the criticism is former professional darts player James Hubbard, who took to social media platform X to deliver a blunt assessment. Hubbard asserted that such behaviour from the sport's top-ranked player was unacceptable.
"You can't go on stage and tell the crowd 'you guys pay for tickets to pay for my prize money'," Hubbard wrote. He emphasised the responsibility that comes with Littler's status, adding: "He's world number one, behave like one, and represent the sport properly, end of."
Drawing a parallel to football, Hubbard suggested a similar comment from a footballer would cause "uproar". While acknowledging Littler's youth as a "learning curve", Hubbard was unequivocal in his prediction: "I can guarantee you he'll be advised not to do it again."
A Stellar Performance Overshadowed
The controversy has somewhat overshadowed what was a sensational performance from 'the Nuke' on the oche. In defeating 2018 champion Rob Cross, Littler averaged an impressive over 106 and hit a stunning 17 maximum 180s.
Cross, who averaged close to 99 himself, pushed Littler hard, recovering from 3-1 down to force a final-leg decider in the sixth set before ultimately succumbing 4-2. Reflecting on the match afterwards, Littler described it as a "tough challenge" and admitted he had to "let all my emotions out" after some early crowd reaction.
Luke Littler is scheduled to play either Luke Woodhouse or Krzysztof Ratajski in the quarter-final on New Year's Day. A potential semi-final against Jonny Clayton awaits, with a final showdown against the likes of Luke Humphries or Michael van Gerwen possible on Saturday.
