Luke Littler, the defending champion, has spoken out after overcoming a fiercely partisan crowd at Alexandra Palace to secure his place in the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship.
Littler Conquers Cross and Crowd
The 18-year-old phenom, known as 'The Nuke', produced a brilliant performance on Monday night, averaging 106.58 to defeat Rob Cross 4-2. The match was played in a hostile atmosphere, with the Ally Pally crowd loudly supporting Cross in the hope of an upset. Littler kept his composure to seal victory, before unleashing his emotions with a shout of 'Now what?' directed at the spectators.
'Thank You for My Money': Littler's Defiant Response
When asked about the boos by Sky Sports, Littler was defiantly unbothered. 'I’m not bothered. Really I’m not bothered. Really not bothered. HAHAHA!' he stated. He then added a pointed message: 'Can I just say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize so thank you for my money. Thank you for booing me.'
The teenager believes the reaction stems purely from his dominance, suggesting fans simply wanted to see a closer contest. 'Obviously they want the underdog to win or they want the game to go on even longer than it should do,' he explained in a post-match press conference. 'But it definitely fuelled me up and I’ve definitely played better then.'
Channeling Anger into Victory
Despite his public nonchalance, Littler admitted the jeers angered him during the match. He revealed he focused on controlling his emotions until the final dart was thrown. 'The performance tonight really doesn’t feel like a 106.5 because there was that much adrenaline going through me, that much emotion, the anger,' he confessed.
He pointed to his growth as a player, stating: 'Two years ago I think I would have started throwing my darts left-handed. But that’s how much I’ve grown, how much I’ve matured. People might not say I’m mature, but try and be in my position.'
Looking ahead to his quarter-final on New Year's Day, where he will face either Luke Woodhouse or Krzysztof Ratajski, Littler is braced for more of the same. 'I expect the worst on New Year’s Day, whoever I do play, and whatever happens happens, I’m ready,' he declared. Ryan Searle is the only other player confirmed for the last eight after his 4-0 win on Monday.
