Luke Littler hit back at jeers from the Ally Pally crowd in a rare on-stage interview after reaching the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship, thanking fans for “paying in”.
The world number one, aiming to become the first player since Gary Anderson 10 years ago to win back-to-back Sid Waddell Trophy, defeated former world champion Rob Cross 4-2 to advance to the last eight for the third consecutive year.
Littler averaged 106.58 points and had 17 high points (the most in an individual match at this year’s event) during an engaging match in which “The Nuke” dropped the first set of the tournament before emerging victorious.
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Highlights of the World Darts Championship match between Luke Littler and Rob Cross at Alexandra Palace
The defending champion appeared upset at various points during the eventful match, offering many enthusiastic congratulations and Littler repeating the phrase, “What’s going on now?” After winning the final leg of the sixth set, he told the crowd:
Cross received strong support from a raucous crowd after fighting back from a 3-1 deficit to force the match into a final set decider, but Littler suggested he was unaffected by the mixed reactions and boos from some fans.
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Luke Littler has a message to the crowd after his last-16 win over Rob Cross
“Is it a pain? Is it really a pain? I don’t care at all!” Littler told Sky Sports on stage after his win, after his quarter-final match against either Luke Woodhouse or Krzysztof Ratajski was decided.
“Can I just say one thing? You guys paid for the tickets and you paid for my winnings, so thank you, thank you for the money! Thank you for booing me. Thank you, come on!”
“I just looked at the stats at the time and I wasn’t really thinking about anything. I just wanted to win the game. It was hostile and no one wanted me to win, but I proved them wrong again.”
Littler’s post-fight interview resulted in criticism from fans and pundits on social media, but the 18-year-old was pleased to have overcome the tough test and remains the clear favorite to win a second world title.
Littler added in the press conference, “The fans did what they had to do, and I reacted like any other player would in real life.” “I think I may have reacted a little too quickly after the first set, but I just had to keep working.
“When we were up 3-1 I felt like we were really in the groove. Obviously Rob (Cross) got under his feet and I had no choice but to take him out.”
“It is what it is. They (the crowd) want the underdog to win and they want the favorite to be eliminated. I just had to get out of the way and get my job done,” Littler said.
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Luke Littler reacts to ‘hostile’ crowd he faced during match against Rob Cross at World Darts Championship
“We’re only a few games away from lifting the trophy again, but I can’t believe tonight’s performance was 106.5. I had so much adrenaline running through me, so much emotion and anger, but I can say I’m glad we won.”
Analysis: Littler just has different levels, even when he’s against you.
Former World Darts Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle told Sky Sports:
“That (interview) was just weird. He seemed like he was looking for something and I think he was hostile.”
“It’s ridiculous for him to make it (darts) look easy. He just kept going at it and fair play to Rob Cross. He wasn’t feeling well and he left playing that well for what he was facing. It was an unbelievable game.”
“Luke is under exactly this level of pressure. There’s nothing he can’t do on the board and there’s no safe situation as an opponent. It’s never safe.
“He can hit 180s, 177s, and his double under pressure is world class. When he has to do it under pressure, he does it. He doesn’t fail. Littler is getting to a point where no one could get him.”
The numbers behind Luke Littler’s 4-2 victory over Rob Cross
“Rob gave it to him (Littler), Rob offered it and we thought it could be spicy. You want it, and you could see how he acted at the end – he (Littler) was frustrated and angry throughout that game.
“We haven’t really seen that (emotion) from him. I know he has something in his heart to want to silence the audience, but in no way do we want them to antagonize us because it can be a long and lonely road. Ask Gerwyn Price about that.”
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match live and exclusively on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407) until January 3rd. Stream darts and other top sports now.
