Michael van Gerwen edged past Luke Littler in the opening night of the Premier League Darts, winning 6-5. Van Gerwen criticized Littler's tardiness, emphasizing the importance of professionalism in the sport. Littler acknowledged his lateness and agreed with Van Gerwen's assessment.
Luke Littler showed sportsmanship in the closing stages of his Premier League Darts loss to Michael van Gerwen. The opening night of the 17-week tournament saw the pair face off in a rematch of last month's World Championship final. Littler had bested the Dutchman at Alexandra Palace, but Van Gerwen was determined not to suffer back-to-back defeats to the young talent. MVG edged past Littler in front of a lively Belfast crowd, winning 6-5 to seize an early points lead over the 18-year-old.
It was a hard-fought victory for the three-time world champion, despite holding a 5-3 advantage in the first-to-six contest. Littler bravely rallied, winning the next two legs to set up a thrilling finale. However, Van Gerwen maintained his composure, landing a crucial double eight to secure his place in the next round.Van Gerwen faced a challenging atmosphere as he closed in on victory, with boos raining down from the partisan SSE Arena crowd. Supporters enthusiastically cheered on Littler, but the teenager appeared unimpressed by their attempts to disrupt Van Gerwen's focus. When asked about the delay, Van Gerwen stated, '45 minutes late, you mean? They need to stop treating him as a baby, yeah? He's not a baby anymore. He's 18 years old now. It happens. He has to learn, but he needs to learn the hard way. It's a professional sport, so you have to be responsible for your actions as well, simple as that. If he turns up late for an interview, I don't really mind, but now seven other people are waiting for him. That's not really nice, is it?' Littler seemed to concur with the Dutchman's assessment, replying, 'I always let my darts do the talking. But he is not wrong. I was late. I'm 18 now, and I'm responsible for my actions, and I did get a little telling off.'The 2024 World Champion, Nathan Aspinall, emerged victorious on night one in Belfast, defeating Jonny Clayton 6-1 in the final.
Premier League Darts Michael Van Gerwen Luke Littler Professionalism Darts
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