Dutch Darts Star Condemns Littler's 'Out of Order' Behaviour in Heated Arena Showdown
Gian van Veen has publicly branded world number one Luke Littler as "out of order" following a fiery and contentious quarter-final clash at the Premier League darts event in Manchester. The Dutchman secured a narrow 6-5 victory over Littler at the AO Arena, but the match was overshadowed by intense on-stage antics and a post-match war of words that has captivated the darts community.
Tense Final Leg Sparks Confrontation and Mocking Gestures
The dramatic encounter reached its boiling point in the decisive leg when Van Veen, attempting to clinch a notable win on double 15, missed his shot and turned towards the crowd in frustration. Littler, taking exception to this move, responded with angry gestures and actively rallied the home supporters against his opponent. However, the young Englishman then squandered his own opportunity to win the match.
In a provocative moment that has drawn widespread attention, Littler mimicked a crying gesture directly towards Van Veen. The Dutchman managed to regain his composure, taking out double six to seal the victory and bring the acrimonious contest to a close. The pair exchanged only a brief and perfunctory handshake at the conclusion of the match, signalling the clear bad blood between them.
Van Veen's Post-Match Fury and Littler's Social Media Retort
Speaking to Sky Sports immediately after the match, an evidently furious Van Veen did not hold back in his criticism of Littler's conduct. "I missed the double 15 and I looked around, and I was fuming with myself that I missed," Van Veen explained. "I looked around and he was celebrating that I missed. That was out of order. I was fuming about that."
Despite his anger, Van Veen was careful to acknowledge Littler's positive impact on the sport. "I love Luke to bits, he’s a fantastic player and guy for the sport and to see all the attention he’s brought to it is phenomenal," he conceded. "But this is also part of it as well and today was my day."
Littler, hailing from nearby Warrington and a noted Manchester United fan, opted for a pointed social media response. The world champion took to his Instagram account, posting quotes from Van Veen's interview accompanied by three crying-with-laughter emojis, further fuelling the controversy.
Context of the Match and Tournament Implications
This defeat prematurely ended Littler's hopes of claiming a third consecutive Premier League victory, following his recent back-to-back wins in Dublin and Berlin which had propelled him to the top of the standings. Van Veen, meanwhile, had not secured a match win since the fourth week of the competition and is still recovering from kidney stones that forced him to miss the Dublin event.
The Dutchman served early notice of his intent with a spectacular bullseye to seal a 128 checkout for a break of throw in the third leg. He came agonisingly close to opening up a commanding 5-1 lead, only to narrowly miss a double five. Littler mounted a characteristic recovery to pull the score back to 4-3, and it seemed Van Veen's chance might have slipped away when he failed to land a double for the match at 5-3.
The world champion fought back to level the contest, but on this occasion, he could not find the crucial answers when it mattered most in the final leg showdown.
Van Veen's Continued Run and Price's Victory with a Nod to Littler
Putting the confrontation behind him, Van Veen delivered another excellent performance to defeat Josh Rock 6-3 in the semi-finals. However, his run was ultimately halted by an inspired Gerwyn Price, who triumphed 6-2 in the final. The Welshman had previously beaten Luke Humphries and Stephen Bunting by the same scoreline, moving up to second in the Premier League table, just two points behind Littler.
In a notable moment during his semi-final against Bunting, Price imitated Littler's signature fishing celebration after executing a brilliant 170 checkout in the third leg. Commenting on the gesture afterwards, Price said: "Just a bit of fun, nothing too out of order I don’t think."
Price also expressed sympathy for Littler regarding the reaction to the incident with Van Veen. "Things like this happen in darts. I’m sure in a couple of weeks it’ll be done and dusted," he remarked. "Emotions are up and down and people get hyped up. I’ve been there, the backlash off it. Probably Luke will have a little bit of it. I feel for the kid at the minute."
The Welsh champion concluded by focusing on his own success: "I’ve won tonight, that’s all I’m bothered about. Five points, £10,000 in the bank and I’m up to number two above Jonny (Clayton), so I’m happy." This fiery chapter adds another layer of drama to an already electrifying Premier League darts season.
