Luke Littler is set to face Mike De Decker at the World Masters in Milton Keynes, reigniting a rivalry marked by tension. The 19-year-old two-time world champion holds a perfect 7-0 record against De Decker, including a 3-0 victory at the World Grand Prix in October.
Reflecting on that win, Littler described the match as "a bit boring," a comment that drew criticism from former darts star Vincent van der Voort. Speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast, van der Voort called the remark "disrespectful" and "a tap on the chin" for De Decker, adding that Littler needed the crowd to beat his opponent at the Grand Slam.
De Decker has his own history of frustration with Littler, having lost 10-9 to him at the Grand Slam of Darts last year. After that match, De Decker criticised the crowd for booing him at key moments and vented his anger at the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), saying a complaint would be futile.
The World Masters, held at Arena MK, offers a £500,000 total prize fund with £100,000 for the champion. Semi-finals and final are scheduled for Sunday. Meanwhile, second seed Luke Humphries faces Dave Chisnall, and third seed Gian van Veen, who beat Ryan Joyce, will meet Nathan Aspinall.
